[lbo-talk] Mirror neurons

[ravi]

On 4 Sep, 2007, at 19:18 PM, Miles Jackson wrote:
> No, I'm saying that we can't reliably know what the animal is
> experiencing by freely interpreting their behavior; the behavior can't
> "speak for itself" to illuminate the psychological state within.  If a
> cat or a chimp "cries", why should we automatically assume that the
> psychological state of the animal is equivalent to that of a person  
> who
> cries?  I freely admit it could be similar; however, it is also  
> possible
> that a chimp who cries has a psychological experience that is nothing
> like what humans experience.   We have no way of verifying either
> position, as far as I can see.  Call me agnostic.
>

Miles,

this is a strange kind of solipsism masquerading as parsimony. More  
when I get a few moments to spare...

	--ravi