Re: Medicine and Self-Objects (was virus: manifest science)

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An animal which can maintain or recognize possessions has passed the evolutionary stage of un-aware action; thus, I would say that a dog is equally self-aware to the human-- innately (though may regress to a stage of instinctual action more easily).

However, this awareness may evolve in COMPLEXITY-- from the awareness of objects, to their deliberate use, to a conceptualization of their permanence, to the inclusion of such permanent objects within a group of similar objects (and so to the inclusion of a permanent self within a tribe or pack), to the utilization of related objects as restorative of self (self-awareness as complexified to the level of "medicine")... to the creation of societies (for the distribution of resources), language (for recording what works), art (for representing the ideal self-object)... imagination, controls, and standards (for creating unique relationships), and recreation (for modifying the self to include it within imaginative groupings of unique ideals).

Assuming that the above represents a developmental necessity we might say that, to the degree certain animals show the capacity to function within a group (for example) we may assume a level of complexity whereby their awareness has evolved beyond the minimum evolutionary requirement for "self-awareness" (the recognition of self as "permanent object").

Brett Lane Robertson
Indiana, USA
http://www.window.to/mindrec
MindRecreation Metaphysical Assn.
BIO: http://members.theglobe.com/bretthay ...........
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> <Freedom> allows for <specialization> which allows for <life>. An
> awareness of life results in the ideal, "god" (or *individual*) and so
> <possession>, or "self awareness" (a representation of the aware self by
> which the self is aware of itself as such).

Brett, do you believe that a dog more/less/equally "self-aware" as us?

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• [ Next ][ Previous ] In reply to: Brett Robertson Next in thread: Joe E. Dees