USH'S MATRIX GAME 2006 FOURTH ASSIGNMENT (PHILOSOPHY)- 'The Door'

"Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit?" Klez asks. "Two unequal things, such as the bondsman and the lord, struggling for recognition. I think. It has been some time since I've read it."

"It's a simple story that has much to say about self-awareness, identity- even culture. And as some of Azrael's comments have been quite Hegelian, perhaps he may be interested in this idea.

"We start with two primitive people. As originally described, these people are not even real beings yet, but let us leave that aside. Take two cavemen, that meet for the first time.

"Now, the first thing we must realise is definition by contrast. Say, for example, you lived in a world with no light, never saw light, sensed by other means. it is therefore logically impossible for you to evolve a concept of darkness- darkness is merely the absence of light, after all. With no light, all is dark, and so you do not even notice darkness exists; the lack of visual reference is just the way things are.

"Now, to extend this- imagine, by some means, you never met anyone else in your life. Could you have a concept of 'self'?"

"Plato's Cave? Anyways, I think you'd have a concept of self based on how you react to things, on how you think about things that have occured. You cannot base them off of other people, but you still have a working brain."

"That's not the same thing. What meaning does the word 'self' have, other than in contrast to 'not-self'?"

"Your perception of you?"

"Self defines your individuality, as opposed to being a part of the Hive Mind of the Borg or something."

"Well, there is "self" and the world that surrounds us."

"Ah, well, there can be no comparison to a hive mind if there are no other people, and the world that surrounds you does not appear to be as you are, so you do not contrast a concept of self with it.

"Look at the various ways in which we describe a person's 'self'- his personality. Angry. Kind. Friendly. Insightful. All judgments that only ever have meaning when compared to others."

"And we not only define ourselves, we struggle to improve and understand ourselves in contrast to others as well. We don`t want to be like certain other people, or we admire the traits of others."

"Indeed so, and indeed some would say, that this is a driving force behind us, for self-recognition in comparison to others."

Lo Qi draws two stick figures.

"And so, our two primitive men meet, and now they can identify the existence of another, and define themselves in comparison to that other. And so. when these two people meet- what is by far the most llikely method of interaction?"

---

And on an incidental note- Plato/Socrates was last time...

"Language."

"They are likely to be afraid of each other-violent interaction?"

"Indeed! They fight! What better way to prove your own superiority and allay all fears?"

The two stick figures start to beat each other up. over time they start to use a variety of tools.

"But in primitive human societies members of the small community usually don`t fight each other. They need each other to survive. But first the hierarchy has to be established....like in pack of animals perhaps?"

(I'm currently picturing the moving picture where the stick figure assaults the door with a variety of weapons...)

Klez shrugs at his incorrect answer and watches the stick figures.

"Don't get too drawn into a practical scenario- and you are talking about a functioning sociey. This is a matter of individuals, and when two individuals meet for ther first time- incapable of communication with each other- the first instinct is to see the other as a rival, a threat."

"And so they fight to the finish, whoever is left standing is the superior individual?"

"Of course, and societies are afraid of alien elements as well- like it was demonstrated many times in human history."

"Ah, well. Eventually, yes, one will be the victor. he can then follow through what he started and kill the other."

One of the stick figures brings the other to the ground, and holds aloft a tool, ready to bring down upon the other's head.

"But wait," says Lo Qi. He flicks his stick, and the tool stops in mid-descent. "That would be a mistake. Why?"

"Because it's the only other individual he's met?"