Mike,
I plead the Fifth Amendment yerhonor. ;-)
But I guess that only flies in USA (not sure).
Altruism is a different kettle of fish from what I am talking about, Mike. And
it does not prove a "self"; it shows selflessness.
Even though animals may not be dominated by the sense of a self, they seem
nonetheless to show selflessness, yet concern for for their kind, as if
selflessness is key to their survival.
Fish practice it, when they swim as a SWARM: they minimize the likelihood that
any one fish will be predated: strength in numbers! Their swarm behavior is a
CONFUSION to the sharks and other feeders.
Swarm-behavior is beautiful (for a bystander) to watch. I loved the Autumnal
bebavior of swarms of Blackbirds in New Jersey, as the October migration
progressed. Wow! Such dragon-tailed flowing flocks, whipping against the sky.
Hundreds of thousands of noisy birds, making a cacophony I miss hearing in
this dry desert the past quarter century. It's been a while.
But it's just now Summer (up here, ...Merle!); let's not wish our lives away.
Aspire to? I only aspire to what is Human, and most originally Human. I can
add the balance.
--Joe
> uerusuboyo@... wrote:
>
> Joe,<br/><br/>But that true nature doesn't involve the ability to choose such
> 'higher' actions such as empathy and compassion. Their uncovered true nature
> is to blindly follow an evolutionary instinct to survive and not much else.
> As part of the animal kingdom ourselves we largely do this too, but there is
> one important difference and that is we can transcend these impulses and
> demonstrate those higher actions. Hey, 4 years of law school here! You can't
> wiggle out of my argument by claiming you've never seen a zombie or werewolf
> movie. I'm sure you understand the premise: a zombie, once bitten, completely
> and utterly follows its instinct to eat human flesh. Do you agree with Bill!
> and Merle that this is something to admire and aspire to?
------------------------------------
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