Anders was on the porch this morning, staring wistfully up at the diseased lilac tree (that, along with a chimney sweep, is something I really should do something about... and the invoicing things that I've been putting off). Then I heard a distressed chattering and chirruping and when Anders sloped off - I think he's a bit arthritic, bless him - I went out and looked up to see the squirrel complaining vociferously accompanied by a marginally amused tit.
It seemed it might be wise to feed Anders and refill the bird feeders - so the squirrel could tip the seed onto the floor where no one now hoovers it up because the arthritic cat tends to be in attendance.
Anyway, so much for the outside animals.
The in my head animals appear to be a little closer to taking shape. I think I have an argument that holds. There are a few things I want to do to it - and one is to add a line from my summer passion, Robert Solomon. He makes strong claims for valuing emotion - as I am sure you remember. Indeed, his words are also relevant for my human enhancement paper. I think there there too I finally have a vision.
Here it is...
There are three ways of looking at HE 1) the pragmatic, rational, individual welfare approach - a kind of Millian experiment with living (this falls down because the competitive nature of consumer society, with trends and fashions and positional goods all means that while individuals and individual capacities may be enhanced, no comprehensive quality of human-ness is). 2) the wonder-filled opposition that is afraid to damage some mythical idea of human nature that doesn't exist and 3) the awe-filled vision of boundless potential which is related to transformation. So, my view is that all three inhabit different emotional universes that dictate what they think is 'what it is to be human'. But all have just one vision, one aspect of a more complicated and fluid whole. Not only could one not enhance the qualities they valorise, but even if you could you'd not end up with an enhanced human but a mythical creation or a monster.
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