Zombies!

[kazul_ron]

Why cross-species anthropomorphological comparisons by evolutionary psychologists to make sense of human behaviours are FAIL. Bonus points for zombie mention:

"According to Descartes, knowledge of one's own mind is the starting point for knowledge of other minds. But Wittgenstein reminded us that without knowledge of other minds it is impossible

Comments

[evilstorm]

I'm...not sure I agree with the presumptions there. Without knowledge of other minds it is impossible to have knowledge of our own? Hm.

But yeah, animals are zombies, that's about right.

[evilstorm]

ALTHOUGH it's always worth noting that some animals have demonstrated self-awareness, which adds an intriguing dimension to things.

[kazul_ron]

well to the extent of benchmarking and all, it's an interesting thought though, neh? I'm on a social constructivist spree now so it's alot about how a lot of the stability we derive from 'solid' concepts (and hence take for granted) are based on general social agreement that this is what it is and should be (even though we then take it and make it ours by adding nuances, so it's kinda like gankutsuou's art, solid outline, shimmering innards XD. Isn't the concept of I also defined by what is not-I. Whee!

Animals and self-awareness argh. They have the ability for some level mental representation (hence some degree of self-awareness) but the other stuff which makes being human so much brain-pain....do animals angst? and brain-hack? Maybe they are situated at stage 3 zen, but without going through stage 2 hack. This is the point where I keep thinking Dolphins! Mice! Douglas Adams!

Also, if you hadn't already seen this: Nagel, What is it like to be a bat.Reply

[ervin_10]

That brought back some really fond memories of KI. I've always wondered about the creation of an experience machine - not for knowing what it is like to be a bat but rather to make people empathise; it'd work wonders, civics and moral education classes will involve 5 minutes hooked up to a machine which enables one to be another, or many others, for a while, and conflict would cease forever and ever. yay. (there are plenty plenty objections, but yay is like the qed =P.)