From: Howard Engelskirchen (howarde@TWCNY.RR.COM)
Date: Sun Nov 19 2006 - 13:21:09 EST
Hi Jerry, All I meant by quality to quantity was the ordinary dialectical point. Howard ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jerry Levy" <Gerald_A_Levy@MSN.COM> To: <OPE-L@SUS.CSUCHICO.EDU> Sent: Sunday, November 19, 2006 6:00 AM Subject: Re: [OPE-L] marx's conception of labour > > It follows that by saying intentionality is characteristic of > > humans I do not mean to say that it is peculiar or exclusive to humans. > > In general we should be very suspicious of anything that looks to cut > > us off from the rest of the natural world. > > Howard: > > Agreed. > > > At some point quantity becomes quality > > All that need be said is that we are a distinct species which means > ipso facto that homo sapiens is qualitatively different from other > species. The fact that there is species differentiation should not be > taken to mean that there is qualitative improvement. Rather, it is > instead merely an adaptation to different material circumstances. > For example, other mammals (cetaceans, pinnepeds, sirenians) > adapted to living in the water. This adaptation should only be seen > as representing a qualitative improvement from the perspective of > coping with a changing environment. Also, adaptation often means a > diminution of certain qualities, e.g. in the transition from the ape > to homo sapiens the new species became significantly weaker in > terms of physical strength. > > > and it does look like language marks off such a difference, but this is a > > difference of degree become significant, not something more. > > Recalling a discussion I had recenntly with Jurriaan: > > We know very little about the languages of many species. We > should not take a lack of knowledge on _our_ part to mean a lack > of language on the part of other species. Until we have a much > better understanding of other animal languages and modes of > expression then we should hold in abeyance any claims about > our use of language relative to the uses and forms of languages > by other species. > > Conceptions in "modern society" of the relation between humans > and other species are generally tied more to economic expedience > and ideology (and cultural-institution-based human chauvinism) than > to science (and scientists themselves have often had ideological blinkers > on when considering this subject.) > > In solidarity, Jerry >
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