June 21, 2003

The Animal Mind http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/animalmind/ Have you ever wondered if your dog or cat was intelligent, conscious or socially aware? This miniseries, "Inside the Animal Mind", on the show NATURE on PBS discusses these issues and more. I'd like to see the series someday; if you've seen it, let me know if it is really that interesting. In the meantime, this site may give us a few things to ponder... 10:53:42 PM    comment []

Mind Uploading Mind Uploading Home Page The idea of mind uploading is the duplication or transfer of a human mind into an alternate, typically technological, hardware. For example, uploading a mind into a robot or into a computer simulation are things being thought about by uploading enthusiasts. This site gives an introduction to the topic. Do you think it is possible that we could at some time in the perhaps far future upload? 10:42:55 PM    comment []

June 7, 2003

The Illusion of the Body Telegraph Article Our body image is more malleable than we think. This article reports on an experiment where people feel sensations from a fake hand or even a table! This also reminds me a bit of the idea of "phantom limbs", where people have sensations from an arm or leg that has been amputated. Is it possible that our whole experience of our body is an illusion? 9:51:58 AM    comment []

June 2, 2003

Destructive Emotions Interview with Goleman - Windows Media You may have heard of the new book by Daniel Goleman ("Emotional Intelligence" guy) called "Destructive Emotions: A Scientific conversation with the Dalai Lama". One of the several questions posed to neuroscientists, psychologists and philosophers is whether destructive emotions can be scientifically identified and transformed into something better. I haven't read the book yet, but I think it is probably a must-read. In the meantime, this little interview with Goleman may whet your appetite. 9:48:39 PM    comment []

Flashback http://w1.736.telia.com/~u73602493/flashback.html I typically don't like to post things that aren't basic html, but this one really impressed me. It is a flash movie about someone's flashback. It is about a guy who goes to a psy-doc (actually Albert Hoffmann, the discoverer of LSD) who helps him get into  flashback mode ("recall of repressed memories"). What is so impressive to me is the kaleidoscopic psychedelic art that flashes on the screen, some of which seems, um, so strangely familiar. Try it out, though it may not work for you completely -- the ending got messed up for me on my archaic computer. 9:17:10 PM    comment []

Auditory Illusions http://www.exploratorium.edu/exhibits/highest_note/ This is an excellent group of pages from San Francisco's cool Exploratorium that are definitely worth looking at (hearing). They show that illusions are not just visual, but that there is a class of auditory illusions as well. I was astounded as I had never before come across anything like it. The notes just seem to get higher and higher in pitch infinitely! I wonder if tone-deaf people would get anything out of this display... but if you are not completely tone deaf, check this out! 9:02:08 PM    comment []

Secret Society of Happy People http://www.sohp.com I came across this lovely group of people the other day. It seems their whole purpose is to be a group of people who admit they are happy people and to promote happiness. The membership in the group is free (unless you want some of the goodies they promote) and includes an optional monthly newsletter. Back issues are on the site, and those that I've looked at seem inspirational and usually include great tidbits about happiness. If you are a happy person, maybe join. If you aren't happy, take a look, and you might find some tricks of the happy person's trade :) 8:54:08 PM    comment []