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Post by Josh on Nov 25, 2009 1:17:29 GMT -8
Nate explored a great question at pubagetics tonight-
What truly separates humans from the animals?
Thoughts?
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Post by Josh on Nov 25, 2009 1:20:00 GMT -8
Consciousness/ Self-Awareness?
Moral Judgments?
Spirit Expression?
Worry?
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Post by sarah on Nov 25, 2009 19:40:07 GMT -8
Hmmm, if I was more tech-no savvy I would post a picture I saw recently of a group of chimps looking on as one of their own is wheeled away after dying of heart failure. The picture was taken at the Chimpanzee Rescue Center in Cameroon. Anyone want to have pity on me and attach it here?
I find the picture fascinating because I would swear I see real emotion on their faces. I suspect the answer to Nate's question might go something like "more than we are aware but less than we would like"
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Post by Kirby on Nov 25, 2009 20:42:05 GMT -8
Love.
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Post by Josh on Nov 25, 2009 21:51:43 GMT -8
How did I know you would say that?
So, are you saying that animals are incapable of love?
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Post by Josh on Nov 26, 2009 1:35:33 GMT -8
This one Sarah?  |
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Post by Josh on Nov 26, 2009 1:40:55 GMT -8
One of the best distinctions in my opinion is that animals seem free of moral judgments. Animals seem incapable of truly evil actions.
Some actions of animals which we might be tempted to equate with moral actions, I would instead attribute to pure instinct.
Another way of putting this might be that animals don't feel regret for their own actions as far as we can tell- and if they did, I think we would be able to observe it.
Animals can of course feel sadness (although I think it still differs from the kind of worry humans experience when we are apprehensive about the future, for instance).
Animals seem to be remarkably in the here-and-now, which though it prohibits them from the acheivements of humanity, is, of course, often enviable from our vantage point.
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Post by Josh on Dec 1, 2009 11:51:48 GMT -8
How about laughter? Comedy? Humor?
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