Humans are Animals; Every day the gap gets narrower
When I was a child (forever ago), there were a number of fallacies purveyed regarding animals, most of which have been proven completely false:
- Animals can't reason (false)
- Humans are the only animals that kill/murder each other (false)
- Animals can't talk (false)
- Animals can't count (false)
- Animals don't have emotions (false)
on and on...
Of course the animals don't have souls argument, but that is irellevant, since no one knows if humans do either.
Arguably, these false assertions were motivated to "elevate" humans, perhaps sometimes to justify human uses for animals such as food.
However, every day tests are conducted demonstrating that animals have practically every cognitive capability humans have, generally to a lesser degree.
Not being a an expert in this field myself, the one area I recall that has not been shown in animals is "episodic memory", the specific recall of previous events. It is distinguished from learned behavior, which is the integral of prior events. I suspect this will be established in animals eventually as well.
I assert no change in our general behavior towards animals as a conclusion, but that our arrogance should be dropped yet another peg.
- Animals can't reason (false)
- Humans are the only animals that kill/murder each other (false)
- Animals can't talk (false)
- Animals can't count (false)
- Animals don't have emotions (false)
on and on...
Of course the animals don't have souls argument, but that is irellevant, since no one knows if humans do either.
Arguably, these false assertions were motivated to "elevate" humans, perhaps sometimes to justify human uses for animals such as food.
However, every day tests are conducted demonstrating that animals have practically every cognitive capability humans have, generally to a lesser degree.
Not being a an expert in this field myself, the one area I recall that has not been shown in animals is "episodic memory", the specific recall of previous events. It is distinguished from learned behavior, which is the integral of prior events. I suspect this will be established in animals eventually as well.
I assert no change in our general behavior towards animals as a conclusion, but that our arrogance should be dropped yet another peg.
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All this from a sushi test :)
One watches TV and barks at other dogs and anything strange, one night during the news they show Nancy P and Mari went nuts! growling, barking and very very upset...I told her...welcome to our world!
When people come to see their puppies...Daddy Murph is very protective. Those are HIS kids.
Two times during my 21-year career did I have to fire a warning shot from a tower to stop an escape attempt. The second time concerned a wannabe escapee who ran from a van containing work release inmates. Glad he stopped when I began to aim at his center mass. I was not to shoot at minimum security inmates but he fled the back gate area of a maximum security prison at a time other vehicles containing inmates were parked there.
I wan't really sure what custody my target had and was not about to have any innocent victims of an escape I allowed on my conscience.
Fortunately, I only picked up a second written commendation for stopping an escape that I have framed and hanging on a wall in my home.
The idea of teaching animals to behave as we would like (rather than just whipping them) goes back at least to Xenophon and his predecessor Simon. Working with the horse's mind, "travailler la cervelle," in the words of Pluvinel, dates from the age of Louis XIII.
All our understanding of the psychology of animals is of course framed in our understanding of our own minds. The number of dogs or horses who have written about understanding the human mind is exceptionally small.
I can't even contemplate the idea that humans are somehow "not animals."
(I realize that is a personal opinion, not backed up by any particular scientifc studies, and therefore I can't really defend it. It's just an opinion, but one I use to live by every. single. day.)
Me dino also knows that captive humans can be trained how to earn treats and more advanced rewards such as an early release.
As a corrections officer, me dino watched state prison inmates earn "good time" by following the rules and staying out of trouble toward a parole.
Some would then come right back due to sticking up a liquor store or something.
Then the be a good boy in prison toward another accelerated release from prison would start all over again.
Fortunately, Alabama has what inmates call "the bitch law." Three felony convictions in Bama bags life without parole.
Some repeat offenders finally learn to go straight because of that.
People have more RAM and more processing power. But there are pretty stupid people out there too who can hardly get out of their own way. I would say there is a wide variation in brain power. Animals seem to be more controlled by their feelings. But so are a lot of people, to the exclusion of reason !
Animals typically dont have the ability to change their environments like humans do, but they possess a lot of the characterists of humans anyway.
But this makes sense given that the dumb ones got eaten when their species was evolving and the smart ones survived.
Do Not Feed the Humans!...nor the animals, is the lesson to learn here.
For example, a dog wants you to be the master, to be in charge and lead. People who attempt peer-friend relationships with pets simply stress the pets, and even endanger themselves and others.
I quickly read your other link, but don't really see the connection.
https://www.galtsgulchonline.com/post...
Humans are letting others do the work. That is the problem.
As for the "human" and "animal" connection...seems, perhaps animals have more in common with the creatures in governments that with us value creating Human Beings.
Always said, these governmental creatures weren't human...
Maybe that's what the article is telling us...abet, a bit to generous I'd say.
I'd argue, we shouldn't, because our interactions are far too complex for socialism to benefit us.
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