Thursday, June 21, 2007

Firing Newerons?

Continuing the neuron thing, I was wondering if my mirror newerons only fire in response to other sheep or if they would fire in response to human actions? If Bob got on all fours and did something in the way that I might do it, like eating some grass or walking forward, for example (not that he would, of course), would that be a firing situation for me, even if he isn't a sheep?

Then I was thinking about actions that I wouldn't do. Let's say Bob is sitting in a chair reading. When he turns the page, would this action fire my mirror newerons, when sitting in a chair to read is not a regular activity for a sheep?

I ran all this past Bob and he said that it's all possible: My mirror newerons may well fire in response to him turning the page of a book. Alternatively, I may not actually have any mirror newerons at all! Now that I didn't like to hear. I am sure I do have them.

You will remember, in my response to Maud's question concerning our level of intelligence, that we can see in colour, recognize faces and emotions etc. Hence I think it's pretty likely that my ovine newerons are busy mirroring away and firing on all cylinders in exactly the same way that your mirror neurons are functioning for you.

So........... mirror newerons on the wall, who has the fairest of them all?

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