I had a little introspective minute where I considered the way in which we perceive twins. In the animal kingdom, a creature born with an anomaly which causes it two have two heads is considered to be one individual being. A snake with two heads is labelled a 'two headed snake', but each head usually has its own independent intelligence.
We apply this semantic rule to most two-headed beings but we don't to human beings. Twins share an exact genetic code, and yet we consider conjoined twins to have separate conscious identities. We also have the same view of twins who aren't conjoined but are nonetheless identical, if only because it's easier to discern that they're two different entities. But we don't do this with any other creatures, why not? I was going to elaborate further, but I've completely forgot the potential conclusion I was going to make :/
I suppose it could be primarily to do with language, and the language itself could be a reflection of how we mentally perceive the nature of identity and consciousness.
Twins
Twins
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Re: Twins
Two-headed creatures only ever have two heads. Conjoined twins tend to have more than just two heads on a shared body.
"The fact is that far more crime and child abuse has been committed by zealots in the name of God, Jesus and Mohammed than has ever been committed in the name of Satan. Many people don't like that statement but few can argue with it."
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Robert_S
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Re: Twins
It could be because conjoined twins can actually tell us that they're two different people. Two headed snakes can't understand or speak to us, so we can say what we like about them.
What I've found with a few discussions I've had lately is this self-satisfaction that people express with their proffessed open mindedness. In realty it ammounts to wilful ignorance and intellectual cowardice as they are choosing to not form any sort of opinion on a particular topic. Basically "I don't know and I'm not going to look at any evidence because I'm quite happy on this fence."
-Mr P
The Net is best considered analogous to communication with disincarnate intelligences. As any neophyte would tell you. Do not invoke that which you have no facility to banish.
Audley Strange
-Mr P
The Net is best considered analogous to communication with disincarnate intelligences. As any neophyte would tell you. Do not invoke that which you have no facility to banish.
Audley Strange
Re: Twins
And in the event of a two-headed Chimpanzee?Robert_S wrote:It could be because conjoined twins can actually tell us that they're two different people. Two headed snakes can't understand or speak to us, so we can say what we like about them.
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Robert_S
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Re: Twins
If we teach it sign language, then we can make fun of them.Lozzer wrote:And in the event of a two-headed Chimpanzee?Robert_S wrote:It could be because conjoined twins can actually tell us that they're two different people. Two headed snakes can't understand or speak to us, so we can say what we like about them.
What I've found with a few discussions I've had lately is this self-satisfaction that people express with their proffessed open mindedness. In realty it ammounts to wilful ignorance and intellectual cowardice as they are choosing to not form any sort of opinion on a particular topic. Basically "I don't know and I'm not going to look at any evidence because I'm quite happy on this fence."
-Mr P
The Net is best considered analogous to communication with disincarnate intelligences. As any neophyte would tell you. Do not invoke that which you have no facility to banish.
Audley Strange
-Mr P
The Net is best considered analogous to communication with disincarnate intelligences. As any neophyte would tell you. Do not invoke that which you have no facility to banish.
Audley Strange
Re: Twins
Marry meRobert_S wrote:If we teach it sign language, then we can make fun of them.Lozzer wrote:And in the event of a two-headed Chimpanzee?Robert_S wrote:It could be because conjoined twins can actually tell us that they're two different people. Two headed snakes can't understand or speak to us, so we can say what we like about them.
nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnneeee
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Robert_S
- Cookie Monster
- Posts: 13416
- Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2010 5:47 am
- About me: Too young to die of boredom, too old to grow up.
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Re: Twins
What I've found with a few discussions I've had lately is this self-satisfaction that people express with their proffessed open mindedness. In realty it ammounts to wilful ignorance and intellectual cowardice as they are choosing to not form any sort of opinion on a particular topic. Basically "I don't know and I'm not going to look at any evidence because I'm quite happy on this fence."
-Mr P
The Net is best considered analogous to communication with disincarnate intelligences. As any neophyte would tell you. Do not invoke that which you have no facility to banish.
Audley Strange
-Mr P
The Net is best considered analogous to communication with disincarnate intelligences. As any neophyte would tell you. Do not invoke that which you have no facility to banish.
Audley Strange
Re: Twins
Maybe it is as obvious to the parents of those creatures that they are not the same individual as it is to us to see that our twins are obviously not the same person 
I´m just a delicate little flower!
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