1. Why Children Love Their Security Blankets

Comment #25307 by Bruce Hood on March 12, 2007 at 1:44 am

Dear killer_rabbitt79,

The condition you refer to is Capgras Syndrome where sufferers think that relatives and favourite objects have been replaced by identical copies. There are other related conditions where the sufferer believes that reality has been distorted. (Fregoli, Cottards). And yes, I think such notions are important for social humans.

I think all of these reflect the role of unconscious processes in providing a sense of reality and connection... nothing supernatural or spiritual here but could easily interpreted as such.

If this turns out to be true, then this again presents considerable problems (not insurmountable) for using logic and rationality to get people to abandon beliefs.

But watch out for further work in this line.

Bruce

2. Why Children Love Their Security Blankets

Comment #25203 by Bruce Hood on March 10, 2007 at 10:47 pm

Phiwolli is correct to draw the distinction between essence attributed to individuals and essenes attributed to members of the same group. In fact, we do so in the paper by referring to the terms introduced by the medieval philosopher, John Duns Scotus. Individual essence is 'haecceity' (Gr. 'thisness') whereas group essence is 'quiddity' (Gr. 'whichness'). We do actually use the terms in the full paper but as I am sure readers of the RDF will know, the press does not always fully report the whole story.

BTW smell is a physical property...molecules that trigger receptors in the nose.

But even an object that looked and smelled exactly the same would not be a suitable replacement. Thats the point.

Far from a weakness, this psychological process explains may peculiar aspects of human reasoning that most of us (not all!!!) retain as adults.

Enjoyed the comments in any event.

Bruce