Friday 14 December 2007

Different kinds of minds

To other kinds of minds the laws of physics might appear entirely different, because to them the cosmos would appear entirely different. Our notion of existence might be entirely absent to them, as might the notions of 'appearance', 'reality', or even 'mind'.

We should not be so conceited as to believe that the way brains, bodies and behaviours have evolved on Earth are the only ways in which minds, intelligences and consciousnesses might emerge. Laws that we take to be universal may be limited in application to our level of perception and capacity for thought. To the man who spends his whole life upside down the action of gravity appears inverted.