Comments on: Animal Time Travelers http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2007/04/02/animal-time-travelers/ A blog about life, past and future. Written by DISCOVER contributing editor and columnist Carl Zimmer. Sat, 26 May 2012 01:25:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Dan C http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2007/04/02/animal-time-travelers/comment-page-1/#comment-4720 Dan C Mon, 09 Apr 2007 19:11:44 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2007/04/02/animal-time-travelers/#comment-4720 Carl - This article raised an issue that, for me, is a stumbling block in the way that many people (myself included) tend to think about the "distinctions" between human and animal brains. That issue is the frequent merging of philosopical assertions about human-ness and observable, measurable traits. This is exemplified in the idea that "episodic memory require[s] self-awareness" as you cite from Dr. Tulving. Defining something like self-awareness as uniquely human would, by necessity, make it exclusive, but when it's critically examined and broken into constituent parts such as the capability for episodic memory, we find that it actually places us on a spectrum. Nothing new to you, but I always appreciate reminders that we're a part of, not exempt from, the natural world. Can't wait to read Soul Made Flesh. Dan P.S. Thanks to Parasite Rex I've found myself asking my girlfriend during dinner, "Is this a good time to talk about the lifecycle of snail parasites or should I wait until after dessert?" Carl -

This article raised an issue that, for me, is a stumbling block in the way that many people (myself included) tend to think about the “distinctions” between human and animal brains. That issue is the frequent merging of philosopical assertions about human-ness and observable, measurable traits. This is exemplified in the idea that “episodic memory require[s] self-awareness” as you cite from Dr. Tulving. Defining something like self-awareness as uniquely human would, by necessity, make it exclusive, but when it’s critically examined and broken into constituent parts such as the capability for episodic memory, we find that it actually places us on a spectrum.

Nothing new to you, but I always appreciate reminders that we’re a part of, not exempt from, the natural world. Can’t wait to read Soul Made Flesh.

Dan

P.S. Thanks to Parasite Rex I’ve found myself asking my girlfriend during dinner, “Is this a good time to talk about the lifecycle of snail parasites or should I wait until after dessert?”

]]> By: The Neurocritic http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2007/04/02/animal-time-travelers/comment-page-1/#comment-4719 The Neurocritic Tue, 03 Apr 2007 17:52:02 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2007/04/02/animal-time-travelers/#comment-4719 Great article. These posts on the subject might be of interest... <a href="http://neurocritic.blogspot.com/2007/02/mental-time-travel.html" rel="nofollow">Mental Time Travel</a> <a href="http://neurocritic.blogspot.com/2007/02/i-miss-you-but-i-havent-met-you-yet.html" rel="nofollow">i miss you but i haven't met you yet</a> <a href="http://neurocritic.blogspot.com/2007/02/fables-of-reconstruction.html" rel="nofollow">Fables Of The Reconstruction</a> Great article. These posts on the subject might be of interest…

Mental Time Travel

i miss you but i haven’t met you yet

Fables Of The Reconstruction

]]> By: Andrew Kopec http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2007/04/02/animal-time-travelers/comment-page-1/#comment-4718 Andrew Kopec Tue, 03 Apr 2007 13:52:54 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2007/04/02/animal-time-travelers/#comment-4718 It's an excellent article. I'm starting to read your articles in the New York Times. I think that the memory is the most important thing for species' survival. I look forward to read more articles from you. It’s an excellent article. I’m starting to read your articles in the New York Times. I think that the memory is the most important thing for species’ survival. I look forward to read more articles from you.

]]> By: luca http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2007/04/02/animal-time-travelers/comment-page-1/#comment-4717 luca Tue, 03 Apr 2007 12:20:35 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2007/04/02/animal-time-travelers/#comment-4717 Wow! you made it to today's NY Times headlines! Nice one! (I am absolutely loving Parasite Rex - have been pestering everybody around me with tidibits from there.) Wow! you made it to today’s NY Times headlines!

Nice one!

(I am absolutely loving Parasite Rex – have been pestering everybody around me with tidibits from there.)

]]> By: The Neurocritic http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2007/04/02/animal-time-travelers/comment-page-1/#comment-4716 The Neurocritic Tue, 03 Apr 2007 09:38:10 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2007/04/02/animal-time-travelers/#comment-4716 These posts might be of interest... <a href="http://neurocritic.blogspot.com/2007/02/mental-time-travel.html" rel="nofollow">Mental Time Travel</a> <a href="http://neurocritic.blogspot.com/2007/02/i-miss-you-but-i-havent-met-you-yet.html" rel="nofollow">i miss you but i haven't met you yet</a> <a href="http://neurocritic.blogspot.com/2007/02/fables-of-reconstruction.html" rel="nofollow">Fables Of The Reconstruction</a> These posts might be of interest…

Mental Time Travel

i miss you but i haven’t met you yet

Fables Of The Reconstruction

]]> By: Alan Kellogg http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2007/04/02/animal-time-travelers/comment-page-1/#comment-4715 Alan Kellogg Tue, 03 Apr 2007 04:20:39 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2007/04/02/animal-time-travelers/#comment-4715 Oops. Make that the March 24th <a href="http://www.newscientist.com" rel="nofollow">New Scientist</a>. (Were it not for a faulty memory I would have no memory at all. :) ) Oops. Make that the March 24th New Scientist. (Were it not for a faulty memory I would have no memory at all. :) )

]]> By: Alan Kellogg http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2007/04/02/animal-time-travelers/comment-page-1/#comment-4714 Alan Kellogg Tue, 03 Apr 2007 04:12:48 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2007/04/02/animal-time-travelers/#comment-4714 The April <a href="http://www.sciam.com" rel="nofollow">Scientific American</a> has an article on "Future Memories". The April Scientific American has an article on “Future Memories”.

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