Spirits (was RE: [extropy-chat] Qualia Bet.)

[Harvey Newstrom]

On Nov 29, 2005, at 2:06 PM, The Avantguardian wrote:

> I am simply suggesting that there are personality
> differences between individuals that cannot be
> explained simply by genetic or environmental
> differences. I used twins that live together to
> control for genetics and environment. Dominance was
> just an example of one such personality trait. There
> are many more that differ between identical twins. To
> me this demonstrates (albeit in an anecdotal fashion
> as I have only ever known 3 pairs of identical twins)
> the existense of qualia. Two twins, raised in the same
> environment, can recieve the same stimulus yet have
> two different experiences.

"Identical" twins cannot receive the exact same stimulus or 
environment.  Not all conversations are directed simultaneously to both 
twins.  Not all e-mails are sent to both twins.  Even at birth, one 
twin weighs more than the other.  The fact is, even identical objects 
or people are not in the exact same place at the same time, and can 
never experience the exact same environment.  Over time, twins differ.  
In fact, I don't see how twin have any more similar environment than 
any non-twin siblings.

--
Harvey Newstrom <HarveyNewstrom.com>
CISSP CISA CISM CIFI NSA-IAM GSEC ISSAP ISSMP ISSPCS IBMCP