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So, last week. We started class with the photo of Lakshmi, the young girl with four arms and four legs. Our first reactions were visceral: a sort of horror, followed by concern for her health and well being. Lakshmi characterized the theme of Thursday's discussion. We talked about whether or not certain disabilities were enviable or pitiable. Lakshmi's many limbs made her the living incarnation of a goddess to some and made her a sad genetic anomaly to others. Greg's tumor made him enlightened to some and ignorant to others. We ended up talking about social disabilities such as Asperger's and autism and how they could be considered disabilites of the tacit mind, rather than the conscious mind.

We also discussed our reactions to whether or not the world that we see is reality. Some of us took that in stride, while others felt fear at the idea that what we see is not real. If we perceive something, doesn't that make it real to us? Does it need to be real to other people?