Alone With A Cat: An Amazing Social Interaction

I have had a long history of good relationships with dogs (even though I was afraid of them as a little kid) and I am very happy to say I have several of my own. My most interesting social interaction up to this point, however, has been with a cat. This is not to say my experiences with dogs were not interesting; it’s just that the bond between them and me was natural and expected. Cats, meanwhile, always seemed mysterious to me.

This summer, I spent a few nights at my uncle’s house. When I arrived, he told me that he was taking care of the cat of a friend of his for a few days. Feeling unsure of what to do, I decided to avoid the cat for the time being.

Later that night, as I was using my laptop on my (temporary) bed, who should walk in but the cat! Her name was Ginger, and she was lovely. I made sure to remain at east and reassuring to her, and gently said hello. Almost immediately, Ginger jumped up onto the bed and starting rubbing her head, whiskers, and tail against my back and hips. She let me pet her on her head and scratch behind her ears and neck. After mere minutes, she was lying down and letting me rub her tummy; I had a new friend! She kept me a lot of company for the remainder of my stay. She seemed quite sad when I had to go.

It is fascinating to have bonds with animals. They really are full of surprises, and that adds to why they are and should be a key aspect of a human being’s life.

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(Note: Above picture is random. I can't post pictures of Ginger... for obvious reasons.)

Lecture: Cognitive Semantics And Network Analysis

I enjoyed Professor Greg Appelbaum’s lecture regarding the semantics and networks of cognitive neuroscience and their analyses. He gave some very interesting talks about how so many different words, concepts, and mental processes are linked together. For example, he talked about how vastly different words that appear only vaguely linked in some way are actually constantly inter-connected in our minds. Furthermore, his research seemed to indicate an intriguing fact: emotion-related words and concepts seem to split off into their own network. These revelations, combined with new technology that is working on mapping our cognitive structures, are revolutionizing the scientific community's study of human thought and language.

My only criticism, thought, is that Professor Appelbaum could have provided a little more introduction and background to his subject. Cognitive semantics and networks can be somewhat complex, and they tie very heavily into much deeper studies of the human brain and other aspects of neuroscience.

Overall, though, I appreciated the lecture. The research that the lectured explored contains more evidence of the vast wonders we can uncover regarding ourselves and how the brain is absolutely critical to understanding humanity.

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Erich Fromm: A Truly Incredible Philosopher

By far my favorite philosopher was the humanist and social psychologist Erich Fromm. Born in Germany, he fled once the Nazis took over, and traveled around the world throughout his life. Fromm emphasized that human beings were unique in that they were the only species that could interfere with their own growth. Therefore, they must always ensure that they change for the better.

He once stated: “I believe that none can ‘save’ his fellow man by making a choice for him. To help him, he can indicate the possible alternatives, with sincerity and love, without being sentimental and without illusion.”

Fromm’s quote, and the man himself, represents where I want to go with my life. I understand today that humanity has the potential for so much better; we must evolve to use that potential if we want to survive and overcome our current problems.

I know, however, that I can’t change people. I can only change myself and provide some amount of guidance to others by showing them the way. It can be very difficult for me to remember this lesson, but I guess life is all about learning, isn’t it? In any case, I know I’m making progress, and I feel more at peace knowing that I have incredible men like Fromm, in their own ways, guiding me.

http://www.theglaringfacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/erich-fromm.jpg