In response to Phil on genetic determinism and the reference of Wilson, I
seemed to remember a very interesting article on integrative levels in
Perspectives on Activity Theory that spoke to these issues. Ethel has a
very interesting chapter that brings dialectics to this very important
subject. The chapter appeared so pertinent to the present discussion I
could not pass up an endorsement.
For me, the article puts forth a dialectical approach on the genetic/micro
level that is often not given enough attention to. It is also a good
example in my opinion of having Activity Theory being a true
multidicplinary theoretical famework to explain processes that are too
often left to sociobiologists (Wilson) and other genetic determinists.
But again, this may just be my memes speaking :).
"A meme is a cognitive or behavioral pattern that can be transmitted from
one individual to another one. Since the individual who transmitted the
meme will continue to carry it, the transmission can be interpreted as a
replication: a copy of the meme is made in the memory of another
individual, making him or her into a carrier of the meme. This process of
self-reproduction, leading to spreading over a growing group of
individuals, defines the meme as a replicator, similar in that respect to
the gene"
(Dawkins, 1976; Moritz, 1991).