The Extended Mind
Apr 17, 2011An increasing number of psychologists and philosophers believe that to understand how the mind really works, we must understand it as both embedded in a body and as situated in an environment.
The Curious Lives of Octopuses
Eliane Mitchell
10 November 2017
Octopuses live in a world of paradox. Though colorblind, they change their pigment to match their surrounding area. Though brilliant, they average a lifespan of only 2 to 4 years.
Other Minds: The Octopus, The Sea, and The Deep Origins of Consciousness, by philosopher of science Peter Godfrey-Smith, attempts to resolve these paradoxes in the complex lives of octopuses. In a review of the book by Alva Noë, Noë remarks at Godfrey-Smith's findings from his descent into the deep.
Read the review here:
http://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2017/01/13/509456836/philosophy-in-the-...
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Related Shows
The Extended Mind
Apr 17, 2011An increasing number of psychologists and philosophers believe that to understand how the mind really works, we must understand it as both embedded in a body and as situated in an environment.
Animal Minds
Mar 11, 2007People have strong but divergent opinions about the nature of animals' minds. Do dogs make plans?
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Apr 06, 2004Is the conscious mind just the brain or something more? Can science explain consciousness? How does Ken know that John is a conscious b...
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Jan 11, 2005Modern science tells us that the mind is just the brain working. But science cannot yet tell us how consciousness, rationality,&nb...
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Apr 14, 2013Be it rhythmic or shuffling, athletic or pedestrian, erotic or just social, dance is an art form that utilizes movement of the body through space.
Nonhuman Rights
May 28, 2017Human rights—like freedom from discrimination and slavery— are fundamental rights and freedoms that every person enjoys simply because they're human.
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Why do some people have a strange desire to do weird things for no (good) reason? There's something fascinating about kids who eat laundry soap as part of a “challenge,” or people who deliberately... Read more
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Mexican philosophy is full of fascinating ideas, from Mexica ("Aztec") and Mayan thought to Sor Juana’s feminism and Emilio Uranga’s existentialism... Read more
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Does reading that strike you as something out of The Secret—like if you... Read more
Derek Parfit was a really interesting thinker when it came to identity and the self. He had a particularly cool thought experiment involving tele-transportation.
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This week we’re thinking about how to create a world in which our leaders are not just effective legislators, but also good people.
Some might think there are not enough leaders like that... Read more
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Comments (1)
Harold G. Neuman
Wednesday, November 15, 2017 -- 12:22 PM
Sounds like a book I want toSounds like a book I want to read---when I can get my hands on it. Begs a question: Did consciousness begin in the sea? Oh, silly question, that!: LIFE began in the sea, didn't it? Consciousness evolved with the evolution of life, right? And to think, those smart-ass mollusks only live 2 to 4 years? Paradox is interesting...