And yet, as was pointed out in a Slate Star Codex thread once, nearly everyone has experiences that other people do not, including having access to entire distinct classes of qualia. The usual examples are that some people have and others lack internal dialogue, or the ability to visually imagine things.
In my case, I lack some of the social instincts neurotypicals take for granted, but on the other hand, I know exactly what divine possession feels like and what all the great mystics of history were babbling about, and most people don’t. And our brains aren’t similar enough for me to have much hope of getting people who cannot have that experience to value it.
And yet, as was pointed out in a Slate Star Codex thread once, nearly everyone has experiences that other people do not, including having access to entire distinct classes of qualia. The usual examples are that some people have and others lack internal dialogue, or the ability to visually imagine things.
In my case, I lack some of the social instincts neurotypicals take for granted, but on the other hand, I know exactly what divine possession feels like and what all the great mystics of history were babbling about, and most people don’t. And our brains aren’t similar enough for me to have much hope of getting people who cannot have that experience to value it.