Next Big Thing in English: Knowing They Know That You Know

[stilltrucking]

This layered process of figuring out what someone else is thinking — of mind reading — is both a common literary device and an essential survival skill. Why human beings are equipped with this capacity and what particular brain functions enable them to do it are questions that have occupied primarily cognitive psychologists.

Now English professors and graduate students are asking them too. They say they’re convinced science not only offers unexpected insights into individual texts, but that it may help to answer fundamental questions about literature’s very existence: Why do we read fiction? Why do we care so passionately about nonexistent characters? What underlying mental processes are activated when we read?


the science of English

[SadLuckDame]

Well count on me knowing I know a thing like that, cause even if I don't know for sure, then I know I've a list to choose from in my head

I've all sorts of stream of thought going on in my head right now, but I'm stuck cleaning house (Spring cleaning) and I can't sit with it yet. But I had to be here for this one. I mean, you're rotten and I didn't want to pass it up.

Red Rover Red Rover, I call Jack over. See if you can have a run and break on through to the other side.

There was Polly, Lolly, Holly and Molly contemplating the big black hole with a bunny in it. Could he have fallen down there? They go to look, Molly falls in...was a favorite children's book, wish I could remember it correctly, wish I knew the name at least.

[constantine]

i always liked the five chinese brothers

[stilltrucking]

What do I know that you know about me?





Never heard of that book Five Chinese Brothers, I surfed it out, a very strange book deno.

thanks for the replies
at this point in time I can't remember what that article was about

[SadLuckDame]

For some reason I thought he was a rabbit, no clue why I remembered it that way.

Who's a Pest?

I was trying to think of influential literature from the age of 4, I s'pose. And that one being a good one to choose, If I had a brother or I was remembering it like If I had a rabbit...

Why do we care so passionately about nonexistent characters? What underlying mental processes are activated when we read?

Five Chinese Brothers, I haven't heard of it yet either, but I'll do a google and see what matches.

Found it out mr.,
Five Chinese Brothers

[stilltrucking]

Humans can comfortably keep track of three different mental states at a time, Ms. Zunshine said. For example, the proposition “Peter said that Paul believed that Mary liked chocolate” is not too hard to follow. Add a fourth level, though, and it’s suddenly more difficult. And experiments have shown that at the fifth level understanding drops off by 60 percent, Ms. Zunshine said. Modernist authors like Virginia Woolf are especially challenging because she asks readers to keep up with six different mental states, or what the scholars call levels of intentionality.

Perhaps the human facility with three levels is related to the intrigues of sexual mating, Ms. Zunshine suggested. Do I think he is attracted to her or me? Whatever the root cause, Ms. Zunshine argues, people find the interaction of three minds compelling. “If I have some ideological agenda,” she said, “I would try to construct a narrative that involved a triangularization of minds, because that is something we find particularly satisfying.”

[SadLuckDame]

It's just that I suddenly knew, became aware and you knew I did. It's how we communicate or what doesn't need said or that sort of feeling.

Or perhaps I'm imagining it, for if you're not him, nor the other him (even though I consider them both the same) then you couldn't be at all knowing what it is I know you know...but if you are him, then the other and now that opens the door wide open that you very well could know exactly what it was I know you know...not that you definitely do but it makes it that much more likely. Basically all it is saying is at the moment of my reply I was thinking once again how you're him, then him and now...

Is that what you wanted me to explain? I didn't really need to because I know you'd already thought of it when I said it shortly to begin with.

And that's just us talking personal. It wouldn't even need said out loud I don't think, cause then I just look crazy...I feel crazy now.

I'll look more into the book and characters there.

[stilltrucking]

The intention behind the intention. It is easy to see what my intentions are with women.

But I don't always know what my intentions are with men. Such an urge to compete with them.

[stilltrucking]

I am toasted, and you are putting down some fine intricate replies I can not even begin to play with.
I will
try again later.

[constantine]

http://www.vaiden.net/five_chinese_brothers.html

[SadLuckDame]

But I don't always know what my intentions are with men. Such an urge to compete with them.

Umm grr, but I'm not at all a man, I'm all woman, though you'll still compete with me won't you? It's nice that way at times and I look forward to it. A little healthy man to woman competition is just what the fox ordered and I've my eye on the prize of 'shits and giggles' just for the hell of it or even a neener neener neener now and then.

I'm a wreck today, had a wine and food party last night with a house full. One was a charmer type who has attempted to charm me for longer than I'd like to admit and I had to out-wit him for a classy escape by the end of the night. It's that smart-ass chemistry thing, and I depend fully on chemists or else it's the great slip away as soon as I can.

It went like this, "Hey, why aren't you wearing your wedding rings? (after he's flirted for months) I said, "Cause he's living with someone else by now." then he goes, "Seriously? Oh man! Now you can be my girlfriend!" And I go, "Oh no you don't. I don't want anyone. I'm doing damn good in freedom as an independent lady...blah, blah I don't need no boy friends..."etc. But, a guy that's a charmer (Leo) never cares I'm not looking and so I still had to figure a good way out of it, and of course I did as classy as I could muster.

And then I come here looking for you to be at play with instead and you'll brush me off for competition with the men or to dabble in all the pretty women and that's the life of a sad luck, I'm used to it.

What we toasting? I've still gots a bottle left over.

~I ramble like this and mess up your threads. My apologies if you'll have em.

[constantine]

i've always been a sad sack - not bragging, just saying

[constantine]

sometimes, i'll wake up and say: i'm doomed - doomed!

[SadLuckDame]

I'm doomed to, I've always known it so it's o.k. by me now.
Hey mr., I liked it and gonna read it again.

[constantine]

mr c ! i'm the perry como of studio 8. the artwork to the book is excellent - unfortunately i couldn't find a site that had the story and illustrations.