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Politics : View from the Center and Left -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: neolib who wrote (38006)	5/27/2007 7:54:42 PM
From: epicure	Respond to of 541990

I think researchers are exploring the consciousness of animals by exploring how they think, and how they act. From that we infer consciousness- in the same way we do in people. I mean we can't experience another person's consciousness-mas you put it so well, with the anecdote about your wife- we have only what other people say, and how they react, to go on. Every year we find out more and more than traits which we thought were "peculiarly human" are shared by animals. I think we can be pretty confident that most elements of our consciousness are to be found in other animals, and many elements not in our consciousness are probably found there, as well- since animals have ways to experience and communicate that we do not have. I always wonder just how differently other people perceive the world. I infer huge differences- based on what some people say and do. I'm sure you have inferred the same. I can't imagine what it would be like to be trapped in a consciousness that believed everlasting torment was a possibility, for example. I'm not sure how belief in an eternal torturer would shape you, but I suspect it has a huge impact on consciousness- and that's just one thing. I really can't imagine being other people, and most of the time I'm glad I can't. I'd love to know how the Dalai Lama thinks though. I'd love to be him for a day- or even just a few minutes.

To: neolib who wrote (38006)	5/27/2007 7:55:46 PM
From: Cogito	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 541990

>>Don't you find quite odd that science has not enabled us in the least to understand what another species thinks?<< Neolib - No, I don't find that odd at all. Science has only recently begun to address the issue of consciousness, and it's a very complex issue. I don't see any reason that we should be surprised that we don't know everything yet. I like to think about what it must be like to be one of my cats, but I believe it will be a long time until we find out. - Allen