[ExI] Functionalism and Lakoff

[Henry Rivera]

This topic brings to mind the phenomenon of when amputees have pain in their missing phantom limbs and are able to relieve the pain sometimes using "mirror therapy." http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror_box
I think this lends support to idea that the present-day brain to be functional/comfortable/balanced needs at least to have the perception of (feedback indicating) embodiment. I'd extrapolate that in whatever medium the essence of our perception exists, we may require the perception of being embodied in an avatar. My belief obviously is that the essence of our perception is separable from the body in principle but requires at least the feedback mimicking a body to function properly. 

-Henry