On Thu, 30 Mar 2000 13:15:16 -0500, gordon <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>Ken,
>
>> I just re-read your message and could not find your "announcement of
>> intention to anthropomorphize". Could you give a quote, please?
>
>I might have used "quotes" around my word, "gladly", to make it clear to the
>obnoxious that the word "gladly" was bracketed. Instead I wrote the
>following near the beginning of that message:
>
>>> (Like you I use quotes because it is difficult to speak of a "goal"
>>> or "purpose" of evolution when evolution does not in reality have
>>> purpose, but I will stop with the quotes because it makes for
>>> awkward reading.)
>
>But you missed it or ignored it.
>
>Casual discussion of evolution is often riddled with such anthropomorphisms.
>It is natural to speak as if adaptive behaviors like those of the praying
>mantis are "purposeful" and that bugs are "glad" to act according to their
>intincts. We know such words are used only for the sake of illustration.
There is a difference between anthropomorphisms with regards to evolution and
anthropomorphisms with regards to animals.
Given the media attention to PETA, anthropomorphisms with regards to animals
have 100 times more societal status than anthropomorphisms with regards to
evolution.
So, I naturally assumed you were ascribing motives, feelings, etc. to the
insects per se, irrespective of those of evolution.
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Ken Stuart" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2000 12:29 PM
>Subject: Re: [P-F] Optimal Health
>
>
>> On Wed, 29 Mar 2000 23:40:14 -0500, gordon <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>
>> >I specifically announced my intention to anthropomorphize, Ken. Perhaps
>you
>> >should read more closely, and contribute something of use to the
>discussion.
>>
>> I just re-read your message and could not find your "announcement of
>intention
>> to anthropomorphize". Could you give a quote, please?
>>
>> >----- Original Message -----
>> >From: "Ken Stuart" <[log in to unmask]>
>> >To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> >Sent: Wednesday, March 29, 2000 11:00 PM
>> >Subject: Re: [P-F] Optimal Health
>> >
>> >
>> >> On Wed, 29 Mar 2000 16:35:51 -0500, gordon <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> >The female devours her mate's head,
>> >> >which he gladly sacrifices as food to help nourish the fertilized egg.
>> >>
>> >> A little bit of "projection" is going on here with the use of the word
>> >"gladly".
>> >>
>> >> Don't take those PBS "Nature" programs quite so seriously... :-)
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >> Cheers,
>> >>
>> >> Ken
>> >> [log in to unmask]
>> >>
>>
>> --
>> Cheers,
>>
>> Ken
>> [log in to unmask]
>>
--
Cheers,
Ken
[log in to unmask]
|
