--- In [email protected], "Xenophaneros Anartaxius" <anartaxius@...> wrote: > > --- In [email protected], "authfriend" <authfriend@> wrote: > > > > You should probably read the essay: > > > > http://organizations.utep.edu/Portals/1475/nagel_bat.pdf > > > > Knowing what it is like to be your identical twin brother > > is no more possible than knowing what it is like to be a > > bat. You can imagine to a certain extent what it would be > > like for *you* to be a bat or to be your identical twin > > brother, but you cannot know what it is like for a *bat* > > to be a bat, nor what it is like for your identical twin > > brother to be your identical twin brother. > > > > As far as Batman is concerned, there is nothing that it > > is like for Batman to be Batman, since he doesn't exist. > > I did read Nagel's essay some years ago, but just taking > what you have written here, I have a few comments. > > There is something it is like to be Batman because this > persona was created in the human mind of Robert Kane.
There is something that it is like to be Robert Kane creating Batman. There is nothing that it is like to be Batman, as I said, because Batman does not exist. > The human mind can envision things, situations, people, > which previously did not exist, and bring them to fruition. > I am thinking how realistically good actors portray (snip) This has nothing to do with what Nagel is talking about. > What is the certain extent that it is possible to imagine > what it is to be like someone? It varies. > If it is true you cannot know what it is like to be even > your twin, if you had one, what does this say for your > supposed ability to know what a person's motives are, what > they are experiencing when they make a post here on FFL? As I believe I said above, "You can imagine to a certain extent what it would be like for *you* to be a bat or to be your identical twin brother..." Now, I know you read that, because you asked me what "a certain extent" was. So why are you asking that question as though I hadn't already covered it? > According to the account above, it would seem likely that > you are very much overstepping what it is possible to *plonk*
