The tyranny of selfish replicators

Memetics, law, and the illusion of free will

Abstract

This contribution analyzes the memetic theory of cultural evolution, postulating the existence of memes, in analogy with genes, as informational replicators. Through a shift in perspective, memes are described as "selfish" entities whose sole replicative end may diverge from individual fitness, thereby conditioning free will. Within this framework, legal systems are interpreted as memetic complexes of norms that operate as tools of coercion to steer individual will toward social goals. The investigation pays particular attention to viruses of the mind: aggressive information (such as ideologies or conspiracy movements) that exploit cognitive dissonance as well as cultural and genetic predispositions. The heuristic value of the discipline lies in its ability to enable processes of critical awareness, offering human beings the tools to rebel against the tyranny of replicators and direct cultural evolution toward survival, collective well-being, and the stability of democratic institutions.