[lbo-talk] Mirror neurons

[Jerry Monaco]

Mirror neurons were first (accidentally) discovered in a macaque
monkey by Vittorio Gallese and his mates during an experiment.  Nobody
has ever expected a macaque monkey to develop language., of course.

It seems to me, Chris, that you are confusing necessary conditions
with sufficient conditions.  Mirror neurons may be necessary to
develop "empathy" like feelings for the minds and senses of others,
but they may not be sufficient.  Other mental and physical processes
are also involved.  Empathy like feelings may be necessary to put us
on the road to the development of the mind/brain processes that
produce language but it is not sufficient.  Chimps may display what we
would call empathy when displayed by humans but that does not mean
they have the other mind/brain capacities to develop language.

Sorry for being pedantic.

By the way I have always been very skeptical of Ramachandran's
speculation on language.  They are wild and fun and completely
unsupported.  They are big brain storms.  I have listened to a at
least 10 lectures by him and numerous interviews and he is as fun as
Oliver Sacks essays.  But all you have to do is listen to the Reith
lectures to hear that he combines great knowledge, an exuberant
lecture style with wild speculation.  I think the importance of mirror
neurons is undeniable but since their discovery they have become the
basis of all kinds of happy, creative and unsupported speculation.

For the Ramachandran's Reith lectures look at BBC Radio 4 -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/reith2003/lecturer.shtml

For wild speculation on mirror neurons see the following podcasts

Jun 29, 2007
Eye of the Beholder
Vittorio Gallese
The scientist who discovered mirror neurons engages in a roundtable
discussion with artists and art historians about how neuroscientific
discoveries can influence our understanding of how we perceive art.
Sponsor: Philoctetes Center
title=  listen (14.7 MB)  | running time 01:04:06
http://media.nyas.org/content/podcasts/snc/eye.mp3

Aug 24, 2007
Acting and Mirror Neurons
Vittorio Gallese and others
A discussion drawing on the perspectives of neuroscience, drama
therapy, kinesiology, and acting technique to address the mechanisms
that allow an actor to emotionally move an audience.
Sponsor: Philoctetes Center
title=  listen (15.4 MB)  | running time 00:33:24
http://media.podcastingmanager.com/72172-80591/Media/neurons.mp3

http://www.nyas.org/snc/podcasts.asp?PartnerCD=iTunes&TrackCD=pcast

http://www.nyas.org/podcasts/nyaspodcast.xml


On 9/1/07, Chris Doss <lookoverhere1 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> If these mirror neurons are supposed to enable both
> language and empathy, then why do many animals,
> lacking language, exhibit apparent empathy?
>
> They also learn by watching other animals, without
> these magic neurons.
>
>
>
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-- 
Jerry Monaco's Philosophy, Politics, Culture Weblog is
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