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Ari Nielsen's avatar

Fake, yes, and not fake. Fake when reductionism is applied outside the particular fields where it is useful.

"Muscle" is a singular system of force generation and attachment points that act as a gestalt. In practice, muscles never move in isolation unless you apply a targeted electrical shock. So, from a functional perspective, it is better to think of there being merely "muscle", or "one muscle", applied to a task.

But there are situations where it is useful to talk of singular muscles, such as in repairing damage in medicine or in weightlifting (where the "muscle" involved is more accurately the location of most force generation).

Similarly,

"Sensation" is a singular system of receptivity and emphasis that is a blend texture as a gestalt. In practice, sensations are never received in isolation unless you apply a highly targeted stimulus. So, from a functional perspective, it is better to think of there being merely "sensation", or "one sensation", applied to a task.

But there are situations where it is useful to talk of singular sensations, such as detecting locations of sensory limitation in medicine or in media targeted at a specific sensation, (where the "sensation" involved is more accurately the location of most prominent sensation).

Reductionism outside the narrowly appropriate fields is indeed damaging to sensation and action in life.

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Everly Esoteric's avatar

Fun fact about salt! It interacts with specific ion channels on the tongue, and is a more direct, electrical interaction. You’re literally sensing the charge of ions!

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