(July 8, 2014 at 1:12 am)Rhythm Wrote:Quote:I'm not sure that all the characteristics of our subjective life arose or were selected for on the basis of evolutionary pressures. Some things may be by-products of other things which were selected for that way. I wouldn't think that our extreme self-awareness would convey much survival advantage. What good does it do us in the natural world to go about wondering whether it is better to be or not to be?Extreme self awareness doesn't have to be applied to such a question (you and I might agree that it's a waste of time, but even if it were.objectively..meh). You can't think of any advantage that extreme self awareness confers to human beings?
How do you predict the actions of others? Whats the very base of the chain?
Exactly. It has always seemed to me that our mental capacities are way overkill for the problems of survival. It is only in conflicts with our own kind that we would need what we've got.
