Re: memetics-digest V1 #1378

From: joedees@bellsouth.net
Date: Mon 02 Jun 2003 - 08:01:24 GMT

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    > > No other animal has shown the capacity to recognize the
    > > difference between what they know and what others should know.
    >
    > Every time - and it is far too often - I hear this kind of blanket
    > appeal to establish the uniqueness and superiority of humans, I barf.
    >
    > There are tons and tons of anecdotal evidence of animals recognizing
    > that another does not know of danger or disease. Why animals with
    > senses highly attuned to the natural environment should perform a
    > logical task while contained in a sterile, flourescent-lit room with
    > no fresh air and the high-pitched whine of air conditioning, is beyond
    > me. Even a roomful of some of the world's best cognitive scientists
    > recently admitted in conversation that the reason monkeys fail on many
    > cognitive tests is because they are often raised behind bars, without
    > toys or parents, and without affection.
    >
    > There is something deeply suspicious of the repeated claims that This,
    > no - uh - This, or maybe This, is what makes humans unique and
    > superior. Why this desperate and persistent need to draw a sharp line
    > in Nature, which has few, if any? My prejudice is that if researchers
    > would concentrate on finding the same gradual evolution in cognition
    > that they are so fond of seeing elsewhere, much would become clear to
    > them.
    >
    Every animal that hides its food and/or pretends it doesn't have any to its comrades knows and uses the difference.
    >
    > Malcolm Dean
    > Los Angeles
    > Home of Cognitive Manipulation
    >
    > ===============================================================
    > This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the
    > Journal of Memetics - Evolutionary Models of Information Transmission
    > For information about the journal and the list (e.g. unsubscribing)
    > see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit
    >

    =============================================================== This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the Journal of Memetics - Evolutionary Models of Information Transmission For information about the journal and the list (e.g. unsubscribing) see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit

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