this post was submitted on 12 Jun 2026
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[–] CeffTheCeph@kbin.earth 0 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I mean, it's the same question as Plato's cave

Did you read Penrose's "Shadows of the Mind"? The 'shadows' is a specific reference to Plato's cave.

No, what sets human apart is how we can communicate in detail and specifics. A single human conciouness sucks, it needs to learn from others. Just like a well trained dog will seem smart. It can't speak, but it can listen if someone teaches it.

I would suggest that, even though they can't speak using words, dogs most certainly can communicate in details and specifics.

It is our failure, our inability to interpret what the dog is communicating that just makes us feel like we are better at communicating than dogs. The whole point of my piss story is that some animals communicate complex ideas through their pee, a form of communication that we have no ability to properly interpret. Dogs have no ability to interpret the detail and specifics in our words, but they do communicate detail and specifics through pee. There is no distinction in the communication process there, the distinction is that our brains have the ability to create abstractions using words and symbols, and dog brains do not have that ability.

Which is why shit gets so fucked up when people stop communicating and get tribal about shit.

I don't disagree with you at all that there is a big difference in how humans and dogs communicate. My intention isn't to 'argue' with you or quibble over the semantics surrounding the relationship between consciousness and communication. I just want to point out here that when I saw the word "No," above I instinctively felt as though I was on the defensive. This defensive reaction to the word "no" is actually "why shit gets so fucked up" and people "get tribal about shit".

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world -1 points 1 day ago

I just want to point out here that when I saw the word “No,” above I instinctively felt as though I was on the defensive. This defensive reaction to the word “no” is actually...

Something you need to work on as a person.

I'll just block you tho, that way you never have to see me type the big "no no word" again when I'm trying to help you understand something.