From: clyder@GN.APC.ORG
Date: Wed Nov 22 2006 - 17:44:16 EST
Quoting Rakesh Bhandari <bhandari@BERKELEY.EDU>: > > Adam Smiths theory of morality as being based in an inate empathic > > capability of humans now seems to have a sound materialist foundation. > > Though by materialism I hope you don't mean that the empathetic self can > be located as a neural > object. I never mentioned the self, about whose existence there are serious questions, but the empathic faculty must surely have a basis in particular neural sub systems that become active in the situations in which empathy is induced. What else could that empathy be but the activity of these sub-systems? > > > > > > However, these mirror neurons are present in other higher primates, > > and experimental evidence seems to indicate that they too have a 'theory > > of mind', i.e., can put themselves in the position of another monkey > > watching themselves. So this indicates that we are dealing with our > > common primate heritage here. > > Well this is controversial--on whose research are you relying; > To tell the truth, I have difficulty remembering which articles I relied upon, other than that it was a series of articles published in Science and Nature during the 90s. Doing a quick scan of their archives on the web, the only one I can come up with http://www.icn.ucl.ac.uk/dev_group/documents/frith_Sci_99.pdf and also Baron Cohen's book on mind blindness. > Rakesh > > > > > > >> > > > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------- > > This message was sent using IMP, the Internet Messaging Program. > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------- This message was sent using IMP, the Internet Messaging Program.
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