Originally Posted: November 11, 2009 at 1:00pm
Primatologist talks about what makes humans different from other species by talking about what makes us all the same. Although many traditional divisions between human cognition and non-human, animal cognition have been observably false, we are still undeniably degrees of complexity from the rest of the world.
Six points of interest to me:
- pro chess players burn between 6000 to 7000 calories in one tournament from thinking in one day.
- In regards to “theory of mind,” I love studies on cognition. Philosophy of mind is a great interest of mine.
- He talks about game theory, which isn’t quite the same as game research, but tit for tat does have applications in believability.
- He talks about “victim-hood” and empathy– very relevant to the research I’m working on right now.
- As a “strident” atheist, he uses an example that comes out of the christian faith to exemplify the most “irrational and magnificent thing we are capable of as a species”. He also quotes kierkegaard, a great christian philosopher.
- This talk is similar to a book titled, “the priveledged planet”– about how crazy it is even possible that we exist.
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