Self-Protection
From CasGroup
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| - | Self-Protection is a [[Self-Star_Properties|Self-* Property]]. It means proactive identification and protection from arbitrary attacks. | + | '''Self-Protection''' is a [[Self-Star_Properties|Self-* Property]]. It means proactive identification and protection from arbitrary attacks. A central mechanism to protect the body is pain in organic lifeforms. |
| + | Pain is an unpleasant sensation resulting from the intricate interplay between | ||
| + | sensory and cognitive mechanisms. It is associated with actual or | ||
| + | potential tissue damage in natural organisms. Although it is unpleasant, | ||
| + | it is a necessary mechanism of systems with the capability of effective self-protection. | ||
| + | Effective self-protection means fast self-protection. The rapid | ||
| + | warning through pain is a critical component of the body’s defense system. | ||
| + | Pain is an unpleasant sensation resulting from the intricate interplay between | ||
| + | sensory and cognitive mechanisms. A painful stimulus leads to a massive | ||
| + | activation of multiple units, and prevents at the same time any actions | ||
| + | associated with it. It is characterized by a loss in the flow of information, or | ||
| + | in the members of the system. | ||
| + | |||
| + | * A trainer of a sports team feels pain if his players are banned from the field, and he cannot send in new players. | ||
| + | * A general feel pain if his army loses in a continued campaign lots of soldiers, and he cannot replace them with new ones. | ||
| + | * A bishop feel pain if his church loses lots of members, while the number of new members is sinking, too. A chief of a political party will do the same | ||
| + | |||
| + | Pain seems to be a general, necessary mechanism of systems with the | ||
| + | capability of self-protection, because it signals the place where the | ||
| + | self-protecting mechanisms fail or where they are badly needed. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Like other self-properties, self-protection can have severe consequences | ||
| + | and side-effects if the integrity of the self is affected: if the self | ||
| + | is not recognized correctly. | ||
| + | A negative side-effect of self-protection are autoimmune diseases | ||
| + | and allergies. In autoimmune diseases the body attacks the ‘self’ and its | ||
| + | own cells, examples are Diabetes Mellitus (type 1) or Multiple Sclerosis. In | ||
| + | allergies, the body attacks harmless targets which are normal parts of the | ||
| + | body: allergens such as dust, pollen, or certain foods. In both cases, the body | ||
| + | attacks parts of itself which are harmless. The distinction between self/nonself | ||
| + | and harmless/harmful goes wrong. In autoimmune diseases, parts of the | ||
| + | self are mistaken for hostile agents, and in allergies, harmless targets are | ||
| + | mistaken for harmful intruders. | ||
| + | Most autoimmune diseases are probably the result of multiple circumstances, | ||
| + | for example, a genetic predisposition triggered by an infection. Autoimmune | ||
| + | diseases result from at least three different interacting components: | ||
| + | genetic, environmental and regulatory. | ||
| + | |||
[[Category:Self-Star Properties]] | [[Category:Self-Star Properties]] | ||
