[MD] How would we know?

[Jan Anders Andersson]

Dan

In the 17th century Thomas Hobbes wrote:

"For such is the nature of men, that howsoever they may acknowledge many others (species) to be more witty, or more eloquent, or more learned; Yet they will hardly believe there be many so wise as themselves: For they see their own wit at hand, and other mens at a distance."  Leviathan ch XIII.

:-)

Jan-Anders


20 aug 2014 x kl. 08:06 Dan Glover <daneglover at gmail.com> wrote:

> Horse,
> 
> Thank you for sharing a great article.It blends in well with Verne
> Dusenberry and his love for the Rocky Boy Indians. I would venture to
> say that one of our most treasured traits is seeing our own culture as
> the epitome of civilization. Jan-Anders well thought out response to
> my little jeu de mot in reference to Ant's post (Dr. McWatt's advice
> to his unknown student) only confirms that... what we do not
> understand we deride and defame in order to make our own selves feel
> superior.
> 
> Thanks a bunch,
> 
> Dan
> 
> On Mon, Aug 18, 2014 at 4:30 AM, Horse <horse at darkstar.uk.net> wrote:
>> Hi All
>> 
>> "The interpretation of behaviour remains subject to the bias of the
>> observer; one observer can classify behaviour as intelligent, and a second
>> observer will dismiss the same behaviour as instinctive. There is also the
>> tendency to be anthropomorphic -- to attribute human feelings and motives to
>> the behaviour of non humans. Until we can actually talk with a non-human, it
>> is difficult, if not impossible, to do anything but speculate on what is
>> being thought or perceived. We cannot even understand with any certainty
>> what a human being from a different culture, speaking a different language,
>> may be thinking or perceiving. Even among people of our own culture,
>> language, class, or academic standing, it is a formidable task to peer
>> inside the workings of the brain. In this respect all brains other than our
>> own are alien, and I might venture to add that the inner workings of our
>> individual brains are still a mystery to each of us that possess one."
>> Captain Paul Watson - Sea Shepherd
>> 
>> For those of you with Facebook accounts here's an interesting link:
>> 
>> https://www.facebook.com/captpaulwatson/posts/10152578876705932:0
>> 
>> It's about intelligence in other species relating to brain size and makes
>> some extremely interesting points.
>> Are we confusing technological know-how with intellect and, if we meet a
>> species with superior intellect, how would we be able to recognise this let
>> alone experience it?
>> 
>> Cheers
>> 
>> Horse
>> 
>> --
>> 
>> "Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production
>> deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid."
>> — Frank Zappa
>> 
>> 
>> 
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> 
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