Biofiction, Philosophy, Pheromones, and Spirituality

“Can fiction be philosophical? Even novelists trained in philosophy have sometimes insisted no.”

Biofiction| see The Philosophical Novel

“Neural networks from beehives to brains solve problems through the exchange and the selective cancellation and modification of signals.” from Greg Bear’s presentation to the American Philosophical Society, see the full text here:

Greg and I were members of Howard Bloom’s International Paleopsychology Project. Howard wrote “The Global Brain,” which in the context of Greg’s “…from beehives to brains…” is indicative of the means by which problem solving has evolved from the use of chemical signals, like pheromones, to the molecular networks of the signaling, regulatory, and metabolic types that generate behavior via brain circuitry operating in real time. The honeybee has emerged as a model for all this, and by all this, I mean everything about the birds,  the bees, and us.

Prognostic/prophetic, indeed as my friend Alice Andrews commented about biofiction; I’ve seen nothing of its equal. The International Paleopsychology Project probably helped to generate more ‘raw insight’ (Greg’s term), than most people will ever realize.  Unfortunately, I don’t know how to market raw insight and the ‘hard science’ makes it difficult for me to market pheromones; I get too caught up in it–even in the science fiction, as it becomes scientific fact. Fortunately, it makes my life in the lab less mundane that it otherwise might be, especially when I’m working in the microbiology department.

The gene-swapping that goes on in bacteria was called conjugation  when I first learned of in in the early 70’s.  At that time, I don’t think that anyone realized how important conjugation might be.  Even now, after it’s potential has been detailed in Darwin’s Radio and in Darwin’s Children —  two science fiction novels by Greg Bear — most people do not think in terms of cause and effect at the molecular level. Those who do will continue to have a problem attempting to detail the levels of complexity that link our genes to our behavior. This problem with the levels of complexity exists despite animal models that begin with single-celled organisms. These organisms lovingly extend their molecular mechanisms to the Global Brain. But love is a philosophical term, isn’t it? How could it have anything to do with the biological basis of conjugation (i.e., part of marital love)?

No, I am not suggesting that we look at love as if we are mere products of our biology. I am suggesting that the levels of complexity that are involved in love might show that we are more than just products of our biology — a philosophy that some might say adds spirituality to what others will continue to insist is biofiction.

About James V. Kohl 1308 Articles
James Vaughn Kohl was the first to accurately conceptualize human pheromones, and began presenting his findings to the scientific community in 1992. He continues to present to, and publish for, diverse scientific and lay audiences, while constantly monitoring the scientific presses for new information that is relevant to the development of his initial and ongoing conceptualization of human pheromones. Recently, Kohl integrated scientific evidence that pinpoints the evolved neurophysiological mechanism that links olfactory/pheromonal input to genes in hormone-secreting cells of tissue in a specific area of the brain that is primarily involved in the sensory integration of olfactory and visual input, and in the development of human sexual preferences. His award-winning 2007 article/book chapter on multisensory integration: The Mind’s Eyes: Human pheromones, neuroscience, and male sexual preferences followed an award winning 2001 publication: Human pheromones: integrating neuroendocrinology and ethology, which was coauthored by disinguished researchers from Vienna. Rarely do researchers win awards in multiple disciplines, but Kohl’s 2001 award was for neuroscience, and his 2007 “Reiss Theory” award was for social science. Kohl has worked as a medical laboratory scientist since 1974, and he has devoted more than twenty-five years to researching the relationship between the sense of smell and the development of human sexual preferences. Unlike many researchers who work with non-human subjects, medical laboratory scientists use the latest technology from many scientific disciplines to perform a variety of specialized diagnostic medical testing on people. James V. Kohl is certified with: * American Society for Clinical Pathology * American Medical Technologists James V. Kohl is a member of: * Society for Neuroscience * Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology * Association for Chemoreception Sciences * Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality * International Society for Human Ethology * American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science * Mensa, the international high IQ society

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