Re: memetics-digest V1 #1378

From: Scott Chase (ecphoric@hotmail.com)
Date: Tue 03 Jun 2003 - 04:09:44 GMT

  • Next message: Chris Taylor: "Re: birthdays"

    >From: "Malcolm Dean" <malcolmdean@runbox.com>
    >Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
    >To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
    >Subject: Re: memetics-digest V1 #1378
    >Date: Mon, 02 Jun 2003 06:52:19 GMT
    >
    > > 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.
    >
    My prejudice is that we are a rather unique culturally inclined species of chimp, but not superior.

    _________________________________________________________________ The new MSN 8: advanced junk mail protection and 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail

    =============================================================== 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 archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Tue 03 Jun 2003 - 04:15:31 GMT