THE EVOLUTION OF LEGAL CONCEPTS: THE MEMETIC PERSPECTIVE

THE EVOLUTION OF LEGAL CONCEPTS: THE MEMETIC PERSPECTIVE

The evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins has observed that certain verbally transmitted concepts possess all of the properties necessary for them to evolve according to the principles of natural selection. This article discusses the application of Dawkins' insight to the development of legal...

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Veröffentlicht in:Jurimetrics (Chicago, Ill.) Ill.), 1999-04, Vol.39 (3), p.291-316
1. Verfasser: Fried, Michael S.
Format: Artikel
Sprache:eng
Schlagworte:
Biological evolution
Common law
Darwinism
Dawkins, Richard
Evolution
Evolutionary biology
Evolutionary genetics
Evolutionary theories
Jurisprudence
Law
Natural law
Natural selection
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Zusammenfassung:The evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins has observed that certain verbally transmitted concepts possess all of the properties necessary for them to evolve according to the principles of natural selection. This article discusses the application of Dawkins' insight to the development of legal concepts over time. Incorporating this "memetic" perspective into the substantial literature on common law legal evolution yields some significant insights for that tradition. Conversely, many of the serious practical difficulties inherent in developing a general science of memetics are eliminated or greatly reduced if one restricts one's attention to the memes that occur in the legal system.
ISSN:0897-1277
2154-4344