[MD] Consciousness a la Platt

[craigerb at comcast.net]

[Arlo] 
> Would you say, for example, if your cat's are "self-conscious", that this 
> differs from your "self-consciousness"? How? What's the same? What's 
> different? 

I don't think anyone knows what it's like to be a cat (or a bat). But if my 
cats are "self-conscious", it's analogous to the self-consciousness of
an infant, except that it's not increasing.  (Koko was closer to a toddler &
improved with each increase in language ability.)
The same:  They distinguish themselves from other things.   
Different: They don't worry about immortality, responsibility, etc.  

[Craig, corrected] 
> If both cats come at the same time, they each eat from one side. Whenever one 
> cat comes alone, she eats all of one side & leaves the other side. To me, 
> this kind of reciprocal behavior is evidence of self-/other- consciousness, 
> but I don't find it "socially negotiated symbolic activity". 

[Arlo] 
> And I don't find it evidence of self-consciousness. Though they are sensitive 
> to where there biological ends are (they know the couch they are sleeping on 
> is "not them") neither cat has a concept of "self" as "who am i?" 

I'm with Ham on this one. Cats that know what's "not them", ipso facto know 
what IS them. 
I think the root of our disagreement is that I think self-consciousness is
biological.  As a paid-up member of the human race, I am part of all levels.
For instance, I am a citizen of a country.  But my self-consciousness doesn't
depend on my being aware that I am a citizen.

[Craig, previously] 
> I think such "Aha!" moments are rare. 

[Arlo] 
> As do I. 

Sorry, I thought your position was that self-consciousness originates in an "Aha!" 
moment. 
Craig