1. Summary of key points
I'm reminded of M-P in the beginning of this piece. It begins with a quote, "Nothing that is human is alien to me," and then jumps into observations of differences. While Flusser is careful to establish a relationship in which we feel reciprocated in our observations of the vampyre squid (he sees us too), he definitely doesn't begin by emphasizing our similarities.
"Both of us live separated by an abyss. The atmospheric pressure that he inhabits would crush us, and the air we breathe would suffocate him."
Right after this he goes on to emphasize (darkly) our similarities (the differences must have been his initial hook), and also hints at ways in which the vampyre squid might definitely be cooler than humans? I get the impression he thinks they're on a whole nother playing field while we're still warming up. Sure enough...
"We are both, Vampyroteuthis and humans, eucoelomates. They are the ones that matter, if we want to re-encounter what is common to both of us." And for the record, this is the oldest known organism in Bilateria, and the "first" with a coelem that is still around today (according to wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernanimalcula)
We are both eucoelomates (exo, meso, endoderm, and a coelem distinguishing head from anus) which he beautifully illustrates, "The eucoelomates are animals that distinguish themselves from the world, that orient themselves in the world, that act upon the world, and that absorb it."
Why did he distinguish a 3rd axis? "For us Bilateria the world is bilaterally symmetrical: there either “is” or “is not”, and the third is excluded. The dialectic of the worm."
As Bataille might snarkily rebuke, we are beings with animal fragility, it is a sign of our excess. "Vampyroteuthes and men are organisms, beings with undeniable animal dignity."
Why were they 'heading towards man'? That sounds like a bad evolutionary biologist, someone oughta set this man straight..."Thus the eucoelomates, who were heading towards man, had a curious moment of hesitation. They sought to rid themselves of their bilateral nature" I also don't understand how the echinoderms "failed" to achieve anything, considering they aren't extinct yet.
For the record, every biologist I've ever met would probably be frothing at the mouth by now...this is like some serious transgression! " There is no doubt that this development represents life’s main advance towards “intelligence”, to the super-evolved nervous system."
Otherwise, I like his premise, which is to explore man through the differences and similarities in these elusive, related squid..
3. Words I learned:
chauvinistic: Prejudiced belief in the superiority of one's own gender, group, or kind
I'm reminded of M-P in the beginning of this piece. It begins with a quote, "Nothing that is human is alien to me," and then jumps into observations of differences. While Flusser is careful to establish a relationship in which we feel reciprocated in our observations of the vampyre squid (he sees us too), he definitely doesn't begin by emphasizing our similarities.
"Both of us live separated by an abyss. The atmospheric pressure that he inhabits would crush us, and the air we breathe would suffocate him."
Right after this he goes on to emphasize (darkly) our similarities (the differences must have been his initial hook), and also hints at ways in which the vampyre squid might definitely be cooler than humans? I get the impression he thinks they're on a whole nother playing field while we're still warming up. Sure enough...
"We are both, Vampyroteuthis and humans, eucoelomates. They are the ones that matter, if we want to re-encounter what is common to both of us." And for the record, this is the oldest known organism in Bilateria, and the "first" with a coelem that is still around today (according to wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernanimalcula)
We are both eucoelomates (exo, meso, endoderm, and a coelem distinguishing head from anus) which he beautifully illustrates, "The eucoelomates are animals that distinguish themselves from the world, that orient themselves in the world, that act upon the world, and that absorb it."
Why did he distinguish a 3rd axis? "For us Bilateria the world is bilaterally symmetrical: there either “is” or “is not”, and the third is excluded. The dialectic of the worm."
As Bataille might snarkily rebuke, we are beings with animal fragility, it is a sign of our excess. "Vampyroteuthes and men are organisms, beings with undeniable animal dignity."
Why were they 'heading towards man'? That sounds like a bad evolutionary biologist, someone oughta set this man straight..."Thus the eucoelomates, who were heading towards man, had a curious moment of hesitation. They sought to rid themselves of their bilateral nature" I also don't understand how the echinoderms "failed" to achieve anything, considering they aren't extinct yet.
For the record, every biologist I've ever met would probably be frothing at the mouth by now...this is like some serious transgression! " There is no doubt that this development represents life’s main advance towards “intelligence”, to the super-evolved nervous system."
Otherwise, I like his premise, which is to explore man through the differences and similarities in these elusive, related squid..
3. Words I learned:
chauvinistic: Prejudiced belief in the superiority of one's own gender, group, or kind
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