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If animals have a nervous system they can obviously experience pain and of course they have one just like we do. I've seen pets or other animals that have been injured and their reaction to it makes it clear that they sense pain in the same way as a human being does.
Anytime I see the word "theism" in connection with any non fiction book my radar goes on full alert...I expect the book is some sort of guilt easing rationalization over the "mankind has dominion" over all other creatures thing....Most religions would be out of business if they were forced to be honest.
I just finished browsing a fascinating book that is the product of recent biological research on whether animals suffer in pain. It's called "Nature Red in Tooth and Claw" by Michael Murray and it proposes that even though animals like dogs, cats, and horses experience pain, nevertheless the evidence is that they do not experience the awareness that they are in pain. For the awareness that one is oneself in pain requires self-awareness, which is centered in the pre-frontal cortex of the brain—a section of the brain which is missing in all animals except for the humanoid primates. Thus, amazingly, even though animals may experience pain, they are not aware of being in pain. For even though your dog or cat may be in pain, it really isn't aware of it and so doesn't suffer as you would if you were in pain.
Fascinating: Nature red in tooth and claw: theism ... - Google Books
I actually haven't finished it yet. This thought is a positive boost for the theologian as it allows him to tackle the philosophical problem of evil. Oh, and it's great news for animal lovers out there!
Sorry, but this is a ludicrous notion. Study or no. Animals experience pain , exactly as we do, they also have emotions. How animals COPE with pain is just far above what most people are capable of. The famous 'stoicism of the beast' as it were. As to theologians scooping this up, oh I'm sure some will, however, the God I am coming to know is in our four legged friends as well as in us. That is what I believe anyway.
Instead of people throwing out examples of what they have done to their animals, and imposing personality on their pets, look up what the theory is talking about, and try to understand the context. And keep the emotionally charged feelings out.. just because we might have a better understanding of how animals experience the levels of pain does not mean to justify abuse to it. This book does in no way advocate animal abuse.
This is merely tangential to this subject, but it is worth remembering that.
Not long ago-- just moments ago, really, in the age of the Earth-- our species was snacking of fleas and lice and other yummies we picked off each other while huddling together in caves.
We've done interesting things with language, technology, and self-awareness, certainly, but we are still animals, just as much as any bear or bat or beetle.
I just finished browsing a fascinating book that is the product of recent biological research on whether animals suffer in pain. It's called "Nature Red in Tooth and Claw" by Michael Murray and it proposes that even though animals like dogs, cats, and horses experience pain, nevertheless the evidence is that they do not experience the awareness that they are in pain. For the awareness that one is oneself in pain requires self-awareness, which is centered in the pre-frontal cortex of the brain—a section of the brain which is missing in all animals except for the humanoid primates. Thus, amazingly, even though animals may experience pain, they are not aware of being in pain. For even though your dog or cat may be in pain, it really isn't aware of it and so doesn't suffer as you would if you were in pain.
Fascinating: Nature red in tooth and claw: theism ... - Google Books
I actually haven't finished it yet. This thought is a positive boost for the theologian as it allows him to tackle the philosophical problem of evil. Oh, and it's great news for animal lovers out there!
I'm pretty sure.....wait a minute.....oh, yep, this is the dumbest thing I've ever heard.
TexasNick...you can believe what you will.....when my animals are in pain...they KNOW it!...they may not know that the feeling they have is called pain...but they are very aware of the pain, and will look to any way to releive it.
Oh, and it's great news for animal lovers out there!
I don't see it as great news for animals lovers at all. I see it as great news for people who want to justify inflicting pain on animals without having to feel any guilt for doing so.
Location: planet octupulous is nearing earths atmosphere
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Originally Posted by Chango
I wonder if an animal ponders the pain it's causing the human when it's chewing on one....
i wonder if humans ponder the pain that they cause to animals??? like the hundred million sharks killed and stripped of their fins, and who's living carcasses are tossed back into the sea every year,>> for shark fin soup..
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just because we might have a better understanding of how animals experience the levels of pain does not mean to justify abuse to it. This book does in no way advocate animal abuse.
