Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id HAA11361 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Wed, 15 Nov 2000 07:47:24 GMT Message-ID: <A4400389479FD3118C9400508B0FF2300410C7@DELTA.newhouse.akzonobel.nl> From: "Gatherer, D. (Derek)" <D.Gatherer@organon.nhe.akzonobel.nl> To: "'memetics@mmu.ac.uk'" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Subject: RE: Tests show a human side to chimps Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 08:42:51 +0100 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2650.21) Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Wade:
I basically agree with Derek on the limited need for a theory of mind. We
all have something of a 'default' theory of mind. We don't know what
'mind' is, but we all seem to assume that other minds exist. Despite
having any definitive idea of what mind is, 'mind' is generally assumed to
be uniquely human. There is some debate over the ability of chimps to
exhibit a theory of mind, but the combination of (1) a universal assumption
that mind exists and (2) universal inability to define what it is, produces
little more than an argument over the number of angels on a pinhead.
Derek:
But doesn't your 'internalist' memetic stance require that you commit
yourself to a theory of the mind in which behaviour is based on stored
mental entities? I'm not sure you can be as agnostic about the mind as you
claim to be.
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