20100710 (J)
Journal: July 10, 2010
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Human Nature                                Souls                                Thought Process

Intelligent Squirrel: Watching a squirrel outside my window made me drift to the thought that at a deep level we are the squirrel. One way is our wariness. If we sense or perceive something new, our first, or at least early, reaction is caution until we can classify it as threating or not, often nearly instantly, even before the “threatening” thought occurs.

As long as it is possibly threatening, either before or after classification, we attend to it, sort of in proportion to the level of threat we perceive. Over time, with no threat manifest, we (the squirrel included) consider it (the new thing or situation, i.e. arrangement of things, our world) less likely to eat us or hurt us. Eventually we put it in the huge, non-threatening bin, whereupon it is safe to ignore.

However, our wariness keeps us (humans included) attuned to “changes” that signify possible threats. Motion is one change that alerts us; attracts our attention. Sound is another. But by famialiarity (habit) the squirrel learns to ignore the swaying of the leaves in the wind or scoot away from an approaching car.

I think we share that “intelligence” with the squirrel outside my window, though we may have several more shades of grey. Where the focus may be intense, like at work or play (the 2016 Olympics, now on), but no discernable threat exists, we do it for the “rush”, the “juice”, the “action”. I doubt the squirrel does that. Attention to motion or sound also focuses on getting food, nearly as intensely for predators like us, as the “being eaten” avoidance.

Logic has been around a lot longer than Socrates.