> Also if apes can learn memes than are they self-aware?
We know that apes are probably self-aware. G Gallup made an experiment
where a chimp were anesthetized and a red spot was placed on its face.
When the chimp awoke, it was handed a mirror. Seeing its face, it tried
to rub off the spot, which implies that it knew the mirror image was
itself. Thus we can expect that chimps have a self-model.
See Gallup, G. G. Jr (1979) Self-awareness in primates. American
Scientist 67 417-421 [I love when I actually got a bibliography nearby!]
Gallup also did this with small children, and found that self-awareness
appears during the second year of life (Gallup, G. G., Jr. & Suarez, S.
D. (1986) Self-awareness and the emergence of mind in humans and other
primates. In J. Suks & A. G. Greenwald (Eds.) Psychological perspectives
on the self (Vol 3). Hillsdalem NJ: Erlbaum.).
I think memes are more important in building up our minds than creating
our consciousness, which seem to be a mental construct. One should also
remember that consciousness is not the same thing as self-awareness:
people with dissociative disorders may be conscious but lack clear
self-awareness.
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Anders Sandberg Towards Ascension!
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