Articulating an idea in the vedanā discussion:
Sometimes dharma teachers note that a precursor of vedanā may be observed in organisms as simple as single-celled bacteria. These organisms move towards food (that which is beneficial) and away from toxins (that which is harmful).
The term for this movement is “chemotaxis”. “Chemo” from the Greek “khemeia”, alchemy, “taxis”, also from Greek, meaning “orientation”; in biological contexts “taxis” refers to movement in response to stimulus. So, “chemotaxis”, movement in response to chemical stimulus.
You can imagine a bacterium in a petri dish. Drop some sugar into the dish. As the sugar dissolves a chemical concentration gradient develops across the dish; the bacterium will move towards the strongest concentration of sugar. Should you drop a toxin into the dish, the bacterium will move away.
On the one hand, bringing chemotaxis into the vedanā discussion seems right in possibly linking human subjective experience with the experience of life across the planet.
On the other hand, it seems to me the idea of a physical movement towards and away weaves into the entire unfolding of the path towards liberation. (In keeping with the atomic essay prototype, let’s save that for next time. :)
Your thoughts?
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(Part 2 here.)
Dharma PhD 
6 replies on “¿Chemotaxis as a Vedanā Precursor? Part 1, What?”
My wires got crossed in evolving from a single cell organism. (Good thing I didn’t reproduce!) My natural tendency is to pursue toxins (potato chips & Coke) and to avoid what’s beneficial (spinach & water). Interesting that your bacteria get brownie points for being attracted to sugar, while I get demerits for pursuing sugar. I apolgize for misunderstanding the science. But, I had fun thinking about it. Thank you.
Smilingly, Sharon
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Sharon, Hello!
I know, right? Mal-adapted to the present environment. I don’t think it’s your wires that are crossed; food engineers are just hijacking your perfectly evolved system.
(Or maybe you’re being playful and I’ve missed the tone? You know how much hand-holding I need in that sphere.😹)
For my part, learning that my normally-functioning system is being hijacked gave a sense of both relief and agency, but again, maybe I’m being awkwardly earnest. It’s happened before. ¯_ (ツ)_/¯
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Playful? Yes, a bit tongue-in-cheek. Also a bit uncertain about the premise. It reminds me of a friend who finds “both relief and agency” by blaming capitalism for her less-than-ideal circumstances. Shannon, you have me pondering the “No excuse, Sir” philosophy on which I was raised viz a viz the rooster, pig, and snake chasing each other. A delightful mental muddle. :)
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And how might one differentiate between an excuse and an embrace of conditions? :)
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Dharma Sister Dear, thank you for posing a question that I understand – at least, in my own way. (Science and philosophy are above my pay grade.)
I see “excuse” as avoidance of looking deeply at causes and conditions – as evasion from examining my interaction with the causes and conditions – as denial of responsibility.
For me, embracing is a multi-step interactive process that begins with recognizing causes and conditions, followed by deep examination of them, followed by contemplation and acknowledgment of my relationship with the causes and conditions, and, lastly, recognition of how I’ve been transformed by the embrace.
Of course, I could be wrong, and often am. If I misinterpreted your question, please ask it again.
Smilingly, Sharon
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Good morning from Bay View State Park. :)
This is wonderful. (I disagree with your parenthetical but will leave it for now. ;)
So is it the case that an excuse is not so much a thing… but an activity? Excuse-ing? Excuse-ing is when I use information to disengage?
In this way no particular piece of information (or idea or frame or whatever we want to call it) is an excuse or not an excuse. It is in what I do with it.
If I use the information to disengage from my existential reality then I am excuse-ing. If I use the information to engage more fully I am embracing.
Is that it? Or are more adjustments needed? :)))
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