Quote:
Originally Posted by Neapolitan
That's all well and good but I think you are missing the point. I said I was skeptical of the mirror test. I didn't say the mirror test proves self-realization on par with human being. And besides there are professionals who are also critical of the mirror test also. And it is what they say that has more credence imo than someone just saying mirror test is the bench mark of self-awarenss. What goes through the animals mind with image it sees is not known.
The mirror test alone can not prove anything. It doesn't reveal the thoughts of the animal which can not be known exactly like throuhg ESP or the Vulcan mind meld. Since you can not know what the animal is thinking, and it can not tell you what it is thinking when it sees the mirror, what is observe when it see itself in the mirror is open to interpretation. I am skeptical of the mirror test because the actions of the animal is interpretted by the scientist to mean what he wants it to mean. All it demonstrates is a reaction of the animal. And one should be cautious when connecting the dots. If there is some sense of self for an animal, it would be demostrate in it's bahavior in the natural setting of the animal.
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I don't think the idea behind the test is to provide evidence of what the subject is thinking. The subject, by recognizing the image in the mirror to be itself and not another, clearly demonstrates a basic self-awareness in certain subjects where others fail, and doesn't need to be interpreted. The extent of that awareness would obviously need to be interpreted and could very easily fit the criteria of what you're saying.
I know I'm intentionally being off the mark of the context of this thread as self-awareness applies to it, but I just wanted to point out that the mirror test does indicate a certain level of self-awareness when passed... but I think you're correct in that any ramifications beyond that level of awareness would be speculation when based solely on the mirror test alone.