[lbo-talk] Mirror neurons

[John Thornton]

Wojtek Sokolowski wrote:
>> I am not trying to moralize here, but I think that Miles, and for that
>> matter the scores of other species-centric folk who believe that humans are
>> 'special', 'morally superior,' have a 'soul' and the kindred mumbo-jumbo -
>> got it all backward.  Humans are unique in that they are LESS empathic than
>> other mammals (rather than more empathic) - or at least they can control and
>> override their empathy by 'higher' cognitive functions of their brain.  
> I couldn't agree more, though I would hardly call those "cognitive 
> functions" higher. The more we "live in our heads" and hostage to those 
> "higher functions," the more out of touch with our feelings we are, the 
> more out of the world we are.
>
> And what exactly are those higher functions except symbol manipulation? 
> And why are they "higher" except that they allow us to justify extremely 
> horrendous behavior.
>
> Joanna
>   

Tongue-in-cheek Joanna?
Those higher functions allow us to make sculptures, paintings, music, 
poetry, and many other wonderful things that animals cannot make.
They will allow us to eventually stop shitting on each other but no 
transition of this kind can happen overnight. Think of it as living in a 
time of transition from mere animal to fully human. Not a perfect 
description but it will do for an informal email list.
Animals do deliberately deceive and they kill for reasons other than 
food and territory. Why shouldn't we expect non-fully realized humans to 
do the same?

John Thornton