Intelligent Aliens: Olivia Judson at the New York Times
http://judson.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/30/wanted-intelligent-aliens-for-a-research-project/
Any more takers for the Burns quote? :-)
Thanks to one very perceptive human (O.J.) for these regular reminders that piercing intelligence need not be stuffed into a dry old shirt...
Speaking as a part-alien, Olivia makes me proud of my human part!
Symbolic consciousness is not a particularly good fit with biological neurological systems, but humans have selectively evolved brains which are better able to hold abstract symbols in contemplation. This is not at all to say that other intelligent earth creatures have no such ability, but the human brain is highly adapted in its attempt to do so.
Language and symbolic consciousness are 'alien' in the sense that they have arrived only after billions of years of biological evolution.
However, the match is by no means perfect! The Buddhist and other contemplative practices are tools for self-calibration and have developed and thrived due to their success at moderating the neuro-symbolic conflux.
http://fraterdeus.com Quantum Magick and Love Quarks
PF
