
On Being an Octopus (2013) - huihuiilly
http://bostonreview.net/books-ideas/peter-godfrey-smith-being-octopus
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ajuc
> Expressed too anthropomorphically, you would send an arm out deliberately
> and hope the local fine-tuning goes right.

That's basically how playing table tennis feels like. If you wait with
reaction till you decide how to bounce the incoming ball (and if the ball is
fast enough) - it's too late already.

You have to decide before you see the ball and hope the automatic movements
will work ok.

~~~
marcosdumay
Ever had that examination procedure where a physician hits you knee with a
hammer and then your leg moves?

It's completely different from just knowing how to do a movement.

~~~
ajuc
Yes I had, and I don't see the difference. Once you decide you will do it, and
the ball gets played - you don't get to change your mind. Your body will do it
automatically and you only wait for the result.

This is how it works (slightly NSFW example, sorry, couldn't find a better one
:) ):
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvLugUUrkYA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvLugUUrkYA)

~~~
marcosdumay
You don't decide at all that your leg will move. It simply moves. You can't
even avoid it.

~~~
ajuc
Once you decided it's the same.

1\. decision 2\. waiting 3\. action 4\. reaction (this part is where I don't
have control)

