[MD] Social Ants?

[Steve Peterson]

Hi Arlo,


[Steve]
As for social patterns being contingent on some biological trait, I've
speculated that a capacity for emotions may be this trait. An emotional
reaction may be the biological correlate to a response to social quality.

[Arlo]
Tomasello's main argument is that it was a biological trait, a specific
neuro-biological configuration, that enambled social patterns to emerge from
human collective activity. Namely, "shared attention". This, for Tomasello,
explains why collective activity by other biological individuals never gave
rise to a symbolically based collective consciousness. I don't agree with many
of Tomasello's conclusions, but his argument is interesting.


Steve:
Can you explain what shared attemtion is?

Regards,
Steve

 		
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