Is empathy uniquely human?

[Judi Lynn]

Non-human animals aren’t just “mindless machines” — they can think and feel as we do, writes Erin Tan


"As Darwin said, between humans and non-human animals, the differences in our minds are those of degree, and not of kind."
BILIANA TCHAVDAROVA TODOROVA
by Erin Tan

Friday March 12 2021, 12:00am



"As Darwin said, between humans and non-human animals, the differences in our minds are those of degree, and not of kind."
BILIANA TCHAVDAROVA TODOROVA
by Erin Tan

Friday March 12 2021, 12:00am

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All of us grew up with non-human animals, even if we were not conscious of it. Charlotte’s Web, Marley and Me, and Fantastic Mr Fox are classics on any child’s bookshelf with one thing in common: their portrayal of non-human animals as having powerful emotions that make them seem almost human.

As children, many of us start off believing that non-human animals are capable of such emotional depth. And yet as we grow up we begin to ignore that they are creatures with their own lives, personalities, and dignity, simply because we believe that we – as humans – are superior, distinguished by select characteristics. With the belief in our so-called exceptionalism in hand, we justify all sorts of unnecessary cruelties towards non-human animals, such as the inhumane (but cheap) practice of factory farming. One pivotal characteristic is empathy, the ability to feel what someone else feels and be affected by that emotion.

Empathy is not uniquely human
Through much of scientific history, scientists have dismissed the notion that non-human animals can have emotions, let alone empathy. The behaviourist approach dominated – the idea that non-human animals displayed behaviours which were simply hard-wired, beneficial responses to stimuli in the environment.

However, this approach has been recently overwhelmed by the enormous amount of new evidence that non-human animals are not mere mindless machines. Dr Jane Goodall spent years observing chimpanzees in their natural habitat, watching them use tools to tease ants out of ant nests, or embrace and kiss to make up after a fight. Her work, and that of researchers like her, has shown us one thing: that to a chimp, an elephant, or a dog, life is as vibrant an experience as it is for a human.

More:
https://www.varsity.co.uk/science/20960

[True Dough]

1. I'm certain that any animal

feels more empathy than:

[Clash City Rocker]

2. Anyone who ever had a dog knows the answer is no

Many of the dogs I’ve known could pick up on human emotions and respond better than most people.

I was just commenting yesterday on how inappropriate it is that the elephant is the symbol of the Republican Party, since elephants are smart and compassionate creatures who demonstrate empathy, and most Republicans seem to be incapable of that.

[BComplex]

3. I'm with you. At this point, democrats should appropriate the elephant as our symbol, and

lend the republicans maybe that snake they like to put on their flags.

[Trueblue Texan]

4. Now...think about that...

Snakes are important creatures that serve an vital purpose. They gobble up rodents and mostly stay out of the way. Possums might be a better symbol for the retags. They are thieves, stealing from other creatures, lying when they get caught, sneaking in where they have no right to be. awww, but even possums are just trying to survive. I think maybe Rethugs should be classified as not animal at all. Maybe more like a virus? Most bacteria are helpful so I wouldn't even call them that. But viruses are aggressive and infect everything they can.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

5. Animals

Are the sweetest friends. And it's our job to protect them,alleviate their suffering and to learn from them.

I owe my life literally. to my cats. My kitty Othello saved me from dying from undiagnosed diabeties. He cares. And I adore him.
Animals feel things deeply,especially cats and puppers and birds.

[electric_blue68]

7. don't forget elephants! 🐘

[Duppers]

6. Wish everyone understood this.

It would make the world a much better place, imo.


Hey, Judi, I posted a thread in the Pets Forum directing folks to this thread; but on 2nd thought, I should've posted it in the Lounge. I just want everyone to understand this is true.