My hunch is that Boris was writing casually to make a point of distinction between human and cockroach attributes, whatever they may be. I am not so sure that clear distinctions like that can be made when we can't get inside the organism of another species with respect to nerve responses, etc. He concludes that cockroaches don't make art. That's a purely rhetorical comment for effect since we don't know what nerve vibrations, etc., might qualify as cockroach art for cockroaches. That is not as ridiculous as it sounds since we know that many species do display themselves in artful ways for mating advantages. In fact, see the science section of today's NYTimes for an article about evolved features of insects and animals that have no purpose other than display for mating advantage.
But more to the point: The two concepts desire and need are complex enough to require close analysis. Does need precede desire or follow it or are the two states merely different on the basis of amplification? Aristotle said that desire is a condition of sensing and fantasy. My own idea is that need and desire (I prefer desire as willful or concscious desire and need as unconscious desire) are constructed subjectively and thus filter or shape our sensing of experience. WC --- On Mon, 3/23/09, [email protected] <[email protected]> wrote: > From: [email protected] <[email protected]> > Subject: Boris claims if X exists... > To: [email protected] > Date: Monday, March 23, 2009, 11:31 PM > Boris claims if X exists, it must be > NEEDED. Can't anyone on our forum think > of a rebuttal to this? (Maybe try distinguishing 'needed' > from 'desired'?) > > > > ************** > Feeling the pinch at the grocery store? Make meals > for Under $10. > (http://food.aol.com/frugal-feasts?ncid=emlcntusfood00000002)
