Beyond Memetic Theory: An Knowledge-Based Model of Evolutionary Success in Music

Öz

This article proposes employing the concept of "knowledge" as a more comprehensive analytical framework, replacing the concept of "memes" (Dawkins, 1976/2007) in cultural evolution theory, aiming to provide a deeper understanding of the complex and multilayered nature of cultural processes. Although "memetic theory" fundamentally suggests that culture, akin to genetics, is based on mechanisms of variation, selection, and inheritance (Dennett, 1995; Blackmore, 2011), critics of the theory (Kauffman, 2019; Gould, 2020) point out that it is inadequate to explain culture's multilayered structure merely through singular "copyable units." The article emphasizes that the meme-centric, copying-focused approach has limitations in explaining cultural processes shaped by human creativity, social institutions, and technological factors. In contrast, the concept of "knowledge" offers a multilayered framework that includes not only cognitive or textual content but also social, institutional, and technological interactions. The article argues that cultural evolution is not solely a matter of copying but also involves processes of interpretation, reproduction, and transformation within a dynamic network. This approach integrates the symbolic, emotional, embodied, and institutional dimensions of culture, holding the potential to develop a broader explanatory model. The article proposes a model adapting the concept of "evolutionary success" to the cultural sphere, considering indicators such as the continuity, prevalence, reproducibility of works, and critical and institutional interest. Within this context, Queen's iconic 1975 song "Bohemian Rhapsody" is examined. The innovative structure of the song, its synthesis of various genres and styles (e.g., ballad, opera, rock), and its repeated revival over different periods have allowed it to continually be reproduced as a "cultural accumulation of knowledge." Furthermore, the media, music industry, and academic interest are observed to contribute significantly to the work's "evolutionary success." In conclusion, while the study highlights the limitations of memetic theory in explaining the multidimensional nature of culture, it advocates that the concept of "knowledge," with its flexible and inclusive structure, can provide a more realistic analysis of cultural evolutionary processes. The case of "Bohemian Rhapsody" demonstrates that reproduction and permanence result not simply from copying but from creative adaptations, institutional support, and multilayered interactions. Thus, cultural evolution emerges as a collaborative product of individual and social creativity, technological diffusion, and critical attention, and these processes can be examined within a holistic framework through the concept of "knowledge."

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Cultural Evolution
• Memetic
• Popular Music
• Bohemian Rhapsody

Memetik Kuramın Ötesinde: Müzikte Bilgi Temelli Evrimsel Başarı Modeli

Öz

Bu makale, kültürel evrim teorisinde “mem” kavramının (Dawkins, 1976/2007) yerine daha kapsamlı bir analitik çerçeve olarak “bilgi” kavramını kullanmayı önererek, kültürel süreçlerin karmaşık ve çok katmanlı doğasını daha derinlemesine açıklamayı amaçlamaktadır. “Memetik kuram,” temelde genetiğe benzer biçimde kültürün de varyasyon, seçilim ve kalıtım mekanizmalarına dayandığı tezini öne sürse de (Dennett, 1995; Blackmore, 2011), söz konusu kuramın eleştirmenleri (Kauffman, 2019; Gould, 2020) kültürün çok katmanlı yapısının tekil “kopyalanabilir birimler” üzerinden açıklanmasının yetersizliğine işaret etmektedir. Makalede, memlerin kopyalama odaklı yaklaşımının, insan yaratıcılığı, toplumsal kurumlar ve teknolojik faktörlerin şekillendirdiği kültürel süreçleri açıklamakta sınırlı kaldığı vurgulanmıştır. Buna karşılık “bilgi” kavramı, yalnızca bilişsel veya metinsel içeriği değil, aynı zamanda toplumsal, kurumsal ve teknolojik etkileşimleri de içine alan çok katmanlı bir çerçeve sunar. Makalede, kültürel evrimin yalnızca kopyalanma değil, aynı zamanda yorumlama, yeniden üretme ve dönüştürme süreçlerini de kapsayan dinamik bir ağ olduğu öne sürülmektedir. Bu yaklaşım, kültürün sembolik, duygusal, bedensel ve kurumsal boyutlarını bir arada değerlendirerek daha geniş bir açıklama modeli geliştirme potansiyeli taşır. Makale, “evrimsel başarı” kavramını kültürel alana uyarlamak üzere bir model önerisinde bulunmuş ve bu modelde eserlerin sürekliliği, yaygınlığı, yeniden üretilebilirliği ile eleştirel ve kurumsal ilgi gibi göstergeler dikkate alınmıştır. Bu bağlamda Queen’in 1975 tarihli ünlü eseri “Bohemian Rhapsody” incelenmiştir. Şarkının yenilikçi yapısı, farklı tür ve biçemleri (örneğin balad, opera, rock) bir araya getirmesi ve çeşitli dönemlerde tekrarlanan canlanması onun bir “kültürel bilgi birikimi” olarak sürekli yeniden üretilmesini mümkün kılmıştır. Ayrıca, medyanın, müzik endüstrisinin ve akademik çalışmalardaki ilginin, eserin “evrimsel başarısına” katkıda bulunduğu gözlenmektedir. Sonuç olarak, çalışma, memetik kuramın kültürün çok boyutlu doğasını açıklamada sınırlı kaldığına işaret ederken, “bilgi” kavramının esnek ve kapsayıcı yapısıyla kültürel evrim süreçlerini daha gerçekçi biçimde analiz edebileceğini savunmaktadır. “Bohemian Rhapsody” örneği, yeniden üretim ve kalıcılığın salt kopyalama değil, yaratıcı uyarlamalar, kurumsal destek ve çok katmanlı etkileşimlerle sağlandığını göstermektedir. Böylece kültürel evrim, bireysel ve toplumsal yaratıcılık, teknolojik yayılım ve eleştirel ilgi gibi farklı düzlemlerin ortak ürünüdür ve bu süreçler, “bilgi” kavramı üzerinden daha bütüncül bir çerçevede irdelenebilmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Kültürel Evrim
• Memetik
• Popüler Müzik
• Bohemian Rhapsody

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