What other natural "super work" might exist?

I imagine that some species in the universe might have different super works, and be devoid of reason.

It could be anything from an overwhelming biological imperative to an artistic urge.

I would argue with your premise. A great deal of art addresses the irrational, which by definition defies reason.
Reason is a great tool, but much of human experience is irrational, i.e. emotions, dreams, art.

Are you talking about something like Reiki, the process of healing by touch alone?

The cabala is a system of mentation that deals well with the irrational. It is a system of associations based more on intuitive and artistic relations than on reason. Together with reason it provides a comprehensive system for experiencing everything in the universe as a unified whole.

Other than what? You have not defined your original superwork.

I agree art, counts separate from reason, mea culpa… but it doesn’t do anything super fancy here on earth, like mathematics or nuclear energy, so our art although enlightening doesn’t seem to do much else outside culture. I’m not saying it couldn’t though, and enlightenment is nothing to trample in my wake.

@darkscribe reason

I’m with @DarkScribe

We can’t really answer until we know what you’re asking.

Saying “something like reason that isn’t reason”, without telling us what properties of “reason” make it a “Super Work”... we’re kind of shooting in the dark.

you don’t think reason is a major advance in the efforts of this species, that separates us from everything else?

Reason is not a “work” (there go those inverted commas) – it is a process.

everything you do is a work.

Stop me if I am wrong, but you are asking if another form of mental activity, comparable to reason in it’s effects, could be discovered that could bring on the kind of technical advances we have seen in the modern era. Is that right?

I’m with @DarkScribe too. I need more definitions to go on.

@stump not necessarily our advances

@Ltryptophan

You said you made up the term “Super Work” then asked us what a “Super Work” is.

That’s why we’re all confused. You made up a term and expect us to know how it’s defined.

Try again.

@Ltryptophan everything you do is a work.

I do my wife – if I told her that was work I don’t think that she would appreciate it.

Everything one does is most certainly NOT a “work”. (Nor is it necessarily work.)

this q needs work
Reason is too broad.

reason=special might anything else exist that is also special, or more special than reason? art is a good answer! cuz you don’t need reason to produce art, and it has a very ignificant effect on outcomes.

I think we’re all being asked to contribute to a half-baked philosophy.

lol, rediculous

@Ltryptophan reason=special doesn’t mean anything.

Definition of “special”
particular(a): unique or specific to a person or thing or category; “the particular demands of the job”; “has a particular preference for Chinese…
for a special service or occasion; “a special correspondent”; “a special adviser to the committee”; “had to get special permission for the event”
adapted to or reserved for a particular purpose; “a special kind of paint”; “a special medication for arthritis”
a special offering (usually temporary and at a reduced price) that is featured in advertising; “they are having a special on pork chops”
limited: having a specific function or scope; “a special (or specific) role in the mission”
a dish or meal given prominence in e.g. a restaurant
particular: first and most important; “his special interest is music”; “she gets special (or particular) satisfaction from her volunteer work”
a television production that features a particular person or work or topic; “the last of a series of BBC specials on Iran is being shown tonight”
extra: added to a regular schedule; “a special holiday flight”; “put on special buses for the big game”

definition of “reason”:
a rational motive for a belief or action; “the reason that war was declared”; “the grounds for their declaration”
an explanation of the cause of some phenomenon; “the reason a steady state was never reached was that the back pressure built up too slowly”
the capacity for rational thought or inference or discrimination; “we are told that man is endowed with reason and capable of distinguishing good from evil”
decide by reasoning; draw or come to a conclusion; “We reasoned that it was cheaper to rent than to buy a house”
rationality: the state of having good sense and sound judgment; “his rationality may have been impaired”; “he had to rely less on reason than on rousing their emotions”
argue: present reasons and arguments
cause: a justification for something existing or happening; “he had no cause to complain”; “they had good reason to rejoice”
think logically; “The children must learn to reason”
a fact that logically justifies some premise or conclusion; “there is reason to believe he is lying”

Please clarify your intent.

Are red-iculouses better than blue-iculouses?

when i’m finished my bhiryani i am going to retort!

I am finished my bhiryani.

Maybe your bhriyani is your special work? Just sayin’

When you are feeling peckish Briyani is a great “work”.

I think it might require some sort of super work just to understand what’s going on here.

Maybe someone should lower their dose of l-tryptophan then think about it some more.

@DarkScribe Good to see you back in the “hood.

@jeffgoldblumsprivatefacilities that’s what I was just thinking – I think our superworks are meant to be together

@janbb DarkScribe Good to see you back in the “hood.)

Thanks. I have been away for a few months, only back in the past week or two.

Is a super work anything at all like a special purpose?

I think we start @DarkScribe. Since you have brung your wife into this not me let’s discuss it from there. “Doing” your wife is most certainly work, and I won’t trouble you with definitions since I am sure she would be equally offended at your rendition as at mine if her sensibilities are so acute. That seems to be the premise of your assault on my question.

@Simone De Beauvoir reason is a distinct, and individual, undividable human ability. @Seek Kolinahr you can see some of the definition, but I suggest the first sentence “here“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reason for the rest. Especially look at the first sentence. Maybe some are having a little trouble with this faculty.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir Reason is very special, and yours is faulty. Since we (and I use we very loosely in this circumstance) are the only known beings to reason I offer it as a unique characteristic that is special. Reason=Special means these two words meanings are so closely related that they are equal, or synonymous.

@Seek Kolinahr my intent is to have a question answered. The aspects of that question are currenty being parsed word by word to you like I am spoon feeding someone who should be getting their nourishment intravenously.

@DarkScribe why don’t you have a dose of L-tryptophan, and go sleep with your wife. I don’t think she is getting any “Superwork”.

Speaking of superwork, humans have a very special characteristic that makes menial tasks they perform have grand outcomes. That characteristic is REASON. One might consider this a superwork, since such little effort yields such significant results (not for us all it seems from your responses).

Finally, there may be some different naturally occurring faculty that exists that is unlike reason, that also has special results from little effort. I would say the organization of bees is one strong contender. It is not by reason that they organize, yet wonderful and special results are produced by their efforts. Namely, honey.

@Ltryptophan yes, it’s my reasoning that’s faulty

@Ltryptophan Since we (and I use we very loosely in this circumstance) are the only known beings to reason

Not so. Many animals and even some insects can reason.

I am sorry that you feel you are correct, but animal reason and human reason are not the same. They act instinctually. We act with a much more calculated thought process.

@wikipedia Reason is a human mental faculty that is able to generate conclusions from assumptions or premises. The meaning of the word “reason” in this sense overlaps to a large extent with “rationality” and the adjective of “reason” in philosophical contexts is normally “rational”, rather than “reasoned” or “reasonable”. The concept of ‘reason’ is closely related to the concepts of language and logic, as reflected in the multiple meanings of the Greek word “logos”, the root of logic, which translated into Latin became “ratio” and then in French “raison”, from which the English word “reason” was derived.

@Ltryptophan I am sorry that you feel you are correct, but animal reason and human reason are not the same. They act instinctually.

Many animals do reason. When faced with a problem they solve it. That requires reason, not instinct. (I am sorry that you don’t feel that you are incorrect.)

For some strange reason I am finding your reasoning regarding reason to be unreasonable. For this reason I think it reasonable for me to forgo further discussions (with you) about reason. You seem to lack a basis for reasonable discussion.

@DarkScribe Many animals do reason. I am sorry that you don’t feel that you are incorrect.

Notice no negating of a socially agreed upon definition. He is likely editing wikipedia to suit his fallacious argument.

Wow! He is likely editing wikipedia to suit his fallacious argument.

Is paranoia a side effect of too much L-tryptophan?

@Ltryptophan We are not the only beings capable of reason. Look at Cetaceans. Orcas, for this specific example. Orcas in different groups use different techniques to hunt. The Orcas off the coast of New Zealand hunt rays and skates. They swim upside down to pick them up off the ocean floor, then swim upright. Being upside down puts the rays and skates into a state of trance in which they are unable to fight back. The Orcas in another part of the world swim up onto the beach and snatch baby seals, and they watch and wait for them, and seem to know that there is only a certain time of year that this type of hunt will be productive. because the seals learn to reason as well, as they mature. They learn to avoid the places on the beach where the Orca can whim up a channel and grab them.
Your definition of reason is frivolous. Reason by definition is the ability to base conclusions on observed phenomena, and many other species besides us are able to exhibit it. Just because they haven’t taken another step and invented guns doesn’t mean they can’t reason. In fact it’s a pretty good argument that they can.

I see why they don’t call you bright scribe.

@Ltryptophan is something going on? are you high? you are going off the deep end on some of this and are making no sense to a bunch of relatively intelligent folks

@Simone_De_Beauvoir How funny! I had actually put the sentence “Are you high?” in right at the beginning, then I took it out so I wouldn’t be combative and adversarial. I LURVE you!

By high you must mean higher evolved than you! @trillian seems to be the one in the deep end with the dolphins!

@Ltryptophan

If I may quote you:

What other natural “super work” might exist?
“super work” is a phrase I just invented for this question.
I only have one such example of what fits in that category,
Is it physically possible for some other wholly different super work to exist?”

The answer to all of this is “How the fuck should we know? It’s your stupid made-up word”

I believe the animosity for this question stems from an unwillingness to believe that we are at all superior to other creatures. You must be hippies. Best I can figure.

I would entertain more of your delusions of insignificance, but I have to go to “Superwork”.

@Seek_Kolinahr “The answer to all of this is “How the fuck should we know? It’s your stupid made-up word” = Win.

Question solved.

@DarkScribe Many animals do reason. When faced with a problem they solve it. That requires reason, not instinct. (I am sorry that you don’t feel that you are incorrect.)
If there was a problem, YO, I’ll solve it!
@Simone_De_Beauvoir @Seek_Kolinahr @DarkScribe, Why don’t we jump off this thread and go get some coffee somewhere?
This guy must be an idiot. I didn’t see any of us say we were inferior to animals. And yeah, he must be on some type of drug.

I have no idea what you’re asking.

@Ltryptophan yes, you are higher evolved, clearly. so much higher, that you have looped backwards.

Maybe there’s a whale somewhere we can all go talk to?

@Trillian what for? :) I freaking love this q and this person.

It’s almost up there with the frizzer but on a higher(?) plane.

@janbb yes, the non-hippie plane

@Simone_De_Beauvoir I got my ticket on the hippie plane years ago!

What is ltryptophan talking about?!

@Ltryptophan you’re not smart enough to understand his wisdom.

Alien species that will not ask weird questions!

@Ltryptophan Is a substance found in turkeys that tends to make one sleepy. Now does it make sense?

Knew you’d have something to add, dp.

Well, was it gratifying or disappointing?

Thank you all for your careful, measured responses. Very insightful.

We aimed the level of insight in our responses to that of your question. Enjoy.

Word to your mother!

@dpworkin mwah!

I’m going to include T&A on that list.

Okay, now I’ve got it – super work is what is needed to create what is shown here www.regretsy.com

I say Tis’ the Season for the Reason… let’s just Wing It, this Super Work in progress!!
Wing it on!!!

…bows to great and awesome turkey god…

Surely Fluther would count. After all, only a relative handful of sons-of-bitches, asses, apes and rats populate it.

iz not high.. iz on an amino acid trip! L-triptophan

Magenta.

@janets is that you? or are you the boy in the frizzer?

@JeanPaulSartre benjamins?

@Simone_De_Beauvoir I need to translate a lot of this don’t I… Let me find my BENJAMINS to English dictionary…

@JeanPaulSartre see if you can get Helen Killer’s fairy to english dictionary as well

@Simone_De_Beauvoir It’s the same, you just flip it upside-down…

A unified philosophical theory? You are at cross purposes there. Nice to think about. How about Love?

love works, art too

Arts, if I were indeed an artist, I could not, however, work under these circumstances. All those Yahoos out there! I curse them!

compassion

@LostInParadise love your answer