Ythrian Consciousness

Poul Anderson appreciation overlaps with philosophy.

Philosophical Analysis of Four Levels of Consciousness

(i) and (ii) animal sensations and perceptions.

(iii) and (iv) human (and other) intelligence and contemplation.

Sensation, inner: hunger; indigestion; nausea; headache; euphoria.

Sensation, outer: skin contact with wet or dry, hot or cold etc environments.

Perception: discernment of discrete objects against their environmental backgrounds.

Intelligence: the ability to think and reason about objects and their environments.

Contemplation: unitive apprehension incorporating but transcending intellectual comprehension.

Humanity, and Ythrianity etc, incorporates and transcends animality.

Realization of contemplation is not regression to mere sensation.

An Ythrian:

does not need clothes;

pumps oxygen directly into his blood stream by flapping his wings;

flies;

has nictitating membranes to protect his eyes when flying at speed into wind and rain;

can hunt and kill live prey;

genetically, is intensely territorial.

Try to imagine Ythrians' sensations and perceptions. Poul Anderson conceptualizes their psychology, sociology and theology.