Why do we want to look? Wildness, Zoos, and Nature Documentary

This week we turn slightly from the philosophical and biological questions we've been addressing for the first 7 weeks toward some more literary questions, but let's not leave the philosophy behind. My hope is that these essays will not only provide fodder for some post-paper 20-minute writes and for some good discussion in class, but that they will inform our viewing of Werner Herzog's documentary Grizzly Man.

Umwelt: toward a subjective understanding of animal behavior?

As our hope is that you are spending most of your time working on your papers this week, we'd understand if your twenty minute writes were a little less substantial this week. That said, we also hope you find Jakob von Uexkull's ideas interesting, so we'd like to hear what you think.

You know the drill.

kevin

UPDATE: several folks have reported problems posting. If you have trouble, please feel free to send your 20-minute write to me (kevin.maier@uas...) and I'll post it for you.

Also, both Kevin K and I have been called to an important meeting at 3:00, so our office hours will be short tomorrow. I can be in earlier if you'd like to meet. Again, drop me an e-mail.

What is is like to see with your ears? Animal Consciosness

You've got the hang of it now: Please post your questions and 20-minute responses to this week's reading under the comments section here. This might also be a good venue to make public some of the anecdotal outside sources that come up in discussion, too.

Per our usual routine, please post your questions and 20-minute responses to this week's reading under the comments section here. Per Kevin K's suggestion in class two weeks ago, this might be a good venue to make public some of the anecdotal outside sources that come up in discussion, too.

READING UPDATE: (In case you didn't already get this e-mail from Kevin K...)

Here is an update on today's reading. In Chapter 2 of Dennett's Intentional Stance, only read to page 35 (the photocopier accidentally included an extra 5 pages -- 37-42). Then read chapter 7 pages 238-260. Then read the "Reflections: Interpreting monkeys..." section. Also read the short Deacon section on vervet monkeys ("In Other Words" appears as a subtitle on the first page). Do not worry about reading Nagel's "What is it like to be a Bat" or the related Dennett reply. We will not get to it tonight. I hope your reading is going well, see you in class tonight.

Kevin

Language

Please post your questions and 20-minute responses to this week's reading (handouts from Davidson, Chomsky, Lakoff and Johnson, and Deacon) under the comments section here. Per Kevin K's suggestion in class, this might be a good venue to make public some of the anecdotal outside sources that come up in discussion, too.