Religion and Ethics Forum

Religion and Ethics Discussion => Philosophy, in all its guises. => Topic started by: Nearly Sane on January 06, 2017, 09:25:14 AM

Title: The minds of other animals
Post by: Nearly Sane on January 06, 2017, 09:25:14 AM
Interesting article by an researcher looking at how we think of animals' minds


https://aeon.co/essays/why-wont-biologists-say-that-animals-might-be-conscious
Title: Re: The minds of other animals
Post by: Sriram on January 06, 2017, 10:15:36 AM


The compulsive nature of certain ways of 'scientific' thinking .....in spite of personal evidence to the contrary...is
 clear evidence of the wrong assumptions that scientists are often forced to make.

It is so contrived and constrained that it is almost funny.  He could develop a split personality with his personal experience on one side and the compulsions of science on the other!!  :D
Title: Re: The minds of other animals
Post by: Walter on January 06, 2017, 01:31:22 PM
Interesting article by an researcher looking at how we think of animals' minds


https://aeon.co/essays/why-wont-biologists-say-that-animals-might-be-conscious
Did you see the documentary last night about killer whales,? One German researcher has observed what could be a pod who takes care of a handicapped member by feeding it because it is incapable of catching its own food. This has only come to light in the last few years an has  sparked new thinking about how humans should view other species .
Title: Re: The minds of other animals
Post by: Nearly Sane on January 06, 2017, 01:36:36 PM
Did you see the documentary last night about killer whales,? One German researcher has observed what could be a pod who takes care of a handicapped member by feeding it because it is incapable of catching its own food. This has only come to light in the last few years an has  sparked new thinking about how humans should view other species .
missed that but it is fascinating. Our inability to communicate to the extent that we can with each other with other animals, is why observation is crucial. We need to be careful about anthropomorphism on motivation but then that is true of our own motivations, both as regards other humans, and indeed personally.
Title: Re: The minds of other animals
Post by: Walter on January 06, 2017, 02:03:39 PM
missed that but it is fascinating. Our inability to communicate to the extent that we can with each other with other animals, is why observation is crucial. We need to be careful about anthropomorphism on motivation but then that is true of our own motivations, both as regards other humans, and indeed personally.
the program had a strong emotional affect on me because of its significance regarding the disabled whale , and your point about anthropomorphism has to be taken into consideration here .
It was first shown in 2013 and more research was to be done with this particular pod  It would be interesting to know what further discoveries have been made since