Motus Mentis

There’s a branch of science called “forensic entomology”. It’s used in criminal investigations to determine the time of death for corpses by examining them to see what species of insects have invaded the body. There are specific timelines for this, depending on where the body is found, and I understand that it provides a pretty accurate estimate.

The underlying principle, of course, is that the difference between living things and dead things is that living things make a necessary distinction between “self” and “other”, and take care to prevent bodily invasion by foreign organisms. Dead things, on the other hand, have stopped doing this.

I suppose it’s fair to say that this is one sure-fire way to tell if a thing is alive or dead (or at least dying, and so close to the end that it’s lost the ability to prevent such intrusions, or given up on trying).

With that in mind, have a look at this article, published today in American Greatness.