Autor: tstadmin
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Consciousness and the binding-problem
While panpsychism sounds crazy, it is actually a highly viable theory of consciousness, as long as it is distinguished from animism: the view that everything is alive and therefore possesses agency, intentionality, thoughts, emotions, etc. Elementary particles almost certainly are not endowed any of these attributes, but according to (my take on) panpsychism, they have…
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Simulating philosophical hypotheses about sentience
Simulations can be used to understand and evaluate the different theories and metaphysical hypotheses in relation to sentience. We can use simulations as educational tools to better understanding of the different hypotheses, theories, paradigms and worldviews on sentience, as well as their implications, providing clarity in the debate about the details and alternatives within each…
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Empty, Open and Closed Individualism
…it is common to access some memory of adolescence and to be ashamed of oneself, of what we did or even of what we thought at that moment. It seems as if someone else has done it. It can become humiliating or almost inconceivable that we would have been able to think or do such…
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The Legend of Simurgh
The Simurgh features strongly in Persian mythology and a number of the great epic poems of Persian literature. It is said to be a mixture of peacock, griffon and lion symbolises the union of heaven and earth. In his epic poem The Conference of the Birds, Fariduddin Attar describes how millions of birds went in…
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Trialism of John Cottingham and Kong Derick
Trialism in philosophy was introduced by John Cottingham as an alternative interpretation of the mind–body dualism of Rene Descartes. Trialism keeps the two substances of mind and body, but introduces a third substance, sensation, belonging to the union of mind and body. This allows animals, which do not think like humans, to be regarded as having sensations and not as being mere automata. Read…
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Alex the parrot
«Alex had a vocabulary of over 100 words, but was exceptional in that he appeared to have understanding of what he said. For example, when Alex was shown an object and was asked about its shape, color, or material, he could label it correctly. He could describe a key as a key no matter what…
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Animals without neurons
According to this lists, Sponge and Trichoplax are animal species without neurons. Sponge (source) Trichoplax adhaerens / Placozoa (source)
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El imperativo de abolir el sufrimiento: una entrevista con David Pearce
English | Español | Português Foto: Peter Singer, Justin Oakley y David Pearce en el evento EA Global Melbourne. David Pearce es un filósofo británico famoso por su propuesta de que los humanos tenemos un gran imperativo ético para trabajar por la abolición del sufrimiento de todos los seres sintientes (conocida como «El Imperativo Hedonista«).…
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The case of Dax Cowart
«I was burned so severely and in so much pain that I did not want to live even in the early moments following the explosion. A man who heard my shouts for help came running down the road, I asked him for a gun. He said, ‘Why?’ I said, ‘Can’t you see I am a…
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On Kidney stones, by Andres Gomez Emilsson
I’ve never had a kidney stone. Thank God. According to Quora responses to the question «How painful are kidney stones?» they are about as painful as it gets. They’re the most painful thing a person can experience naturally, leaving aside torture and violent body-dismembering events. Many say they often get to be «10/10 pain». That’s…