4 ms·

I have to say that this is an interesting perspective to take. Seems highly functional. Not sure if I agree or disagree, I do find it interesting.

andrewem 6y ago
If that interests you, see the philosophical debates about the nature and existence of consciousness, e.g. https://www.nybooks.com/daily/2018/03/13/the-consciousness-deniers/ https://www.nybooks.com/daily/2018/03/13/the-consciousness-d... and the follow-up https://www.nybooks.com/daily/2018/04/03/magic-illusions-and-zombies-an-exchange/ https://www.nybooks.com/daily/2018/04/03/magic-illusions-and... I thought of this connection because of the philosopher Daniel Dennett's writing about the Sphex wasp.
- jelliclesfarm 6y ago
  Thank you for the links. The Sphex wasp behaviour is common to most wasps. They are fierce mothers. I have seen it first hand with tarantula wasps in my farm where the female wasp will paralyze tarantula with a neurotoxin. Then she lays the eggs in the still alive tarantula’s belly. It’s insides liquify and after the baby wasps come along, they are nourished by the fortifying soup of the ..wait for it..still-living tarantula’s innards. http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20150109-the-wasp-that-scares-tarantulas http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20150109-the-wasp-that-scares... A more dramatic telling here on video: https://www.newsweek.com/horrifying-video-shows-giant-wasp-paralyze-tarantula-so-living-spider-body-can-716711 https://www.newsweek.com/horrifying-video-shows-giant-wasp-p...
jelliclesfarm 6y ago
I have often wondered if it’s more of a symbiotic relationship rather than a parasitic one because in fairness, the foetus doesn’t kill the host. Having said that, symbiosis only occurs with two distinctly different species. With pregnancy and the human fetus, it’s is a kind of quasi-parasitic relationship because the host survives the parasite. Even though it’s changed. (Pregnancy changes body chemistry and functionally not just physical change)

andrewem 6y ago

If that interests you, see the philosophical debates about the nature and existence of consciousness, e.g. https://www.nybooks.com/daily/2018/03/13/the-consciousness-deniers/ https://www.nybooks.com/daily/2018/03/13/the-consciousness-d... and the follow-up https://www.nybooks.com/daily/2018/04/03/magic-illusions-and-zombies-an-exchange/ https://www.nybooks.com/daily/2018/04/03/magic-illusions-and... I thought of this connection because of the philosopher Daniel Dennett's writing about the Sphex wasp.

jelliclesfarm 6y ago
Thank you for the links. The Sphex wasp behaviour is common to most wasps. They are fierce mothers. I have seen it first hand with tarantula wasps in my farm where the female wasp will paralyze tarantula with a neurotoxin. Then she lays the eggs in the still alive tarantula’s belly. It’s insides liquify and after the baby wasps come along, they are nourished by the fortifying soup of the ..wait for it..still-living tarantula’s innards. http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20150109-the-wasp-that-scares-tarantulas http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20150109-the-wasp-that-scares... A more dramatic telling here on video: https://www.newsweek.com/horrifying-video-shows-giant-wasp-paralyze-tarantula-so-living-spider-body-can-716711 https://www.newsweek.com/horrifying-video-shows-giant-wasp-p...

jelliclesfarm 6y ago

I have often wondered if it’s more of a symbiotic relationship rather than a parasitic one because in fairness, the foetus doesn’t kill the host. Having said that, symbiosis only occurs with two distinctly different species. With pregnancy and the human fetus, it’s is a kind of quasi-parasitic relationship because the host survives the parasite. Even though it’s changed. (Pregnancy changes body chemistry and functionally not just physical change)