Do animals...

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Do animals , particularly mammals, have inner selves?

[chuck]

Do animals , particularly mammals, have inner selves?

Do you mean like personalities?

Based on the objective behavior of a large number of people during the last 10 months I'm not sure that all "humans" do (global, not just within our country.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Do animals , particularly mammals, have inner selves?

Do you mean like personalities?

Based on the objective behavior of a large number of people during the last 10 months I'm not sure that all "humans" do (global, not just within our country.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Do animals , particularly mammals, have inner selves?

Do you mean like personalities? ....

A sense of self; interest in other animals as companions, friends; taking "pleasure" (?) in particular situations and environments.

For example, certain monkeys and apes seem to make friends and have preferences in the particular company they keep.

Horses and dogs seeming to "like" (?) the company of certain other animals and individual humans .

That is, is there something beyond mere "survival instinct" ?

[v8vega]

The Bible doesn't say anything that would make you think animals have souls. I like to think that I'll be with my favorite dogs again in heaven

[Rufus T. Firefly]

That is, is there something beyond mere "survival instinct" ?

Differentiating ingrained and taught instinct from anything higher is very tricky to do and people are easily fooled.

[chuck]

The gorilla Koko learned how to sign. She then started teaching other interested gorilla's how to do the same. She made up new words for new things/experiences based on her base "taught" language.

Dolphins and other cetaceans apparently have communications skills that are basically beyond our ability to understand as they are communicating at frequencies and in such complicated modulations that we need sophisticated sensors and signal processing to even "hear" them.

Cows apparently like classical music. A dairy farmer that was also a musician noticed the animals would start to congregate close to him when he was practicing. He set up a "concert" with about 15-20 of his fellow musicians on one side of the pasture just along the fence. They soon had most of the heard standing quietly while they played several pieces of orchestral classical works. There is a guy that plays the piano for elephants (they sometimes try to play along but their trunk is too crude an instrument to hit individual keys). Another guy plays the flute for horses.

Apparently octopi have en elaborate brain and can see/recognize faces when they are near the surface. They have even shown the ability to remember and they "dream".

I have no doubt that many of the animals possess more than basic survival skills. Some, like dolphins, have even shown off behaviors similar to man's darker side. Torturing/teasing other members of the pod or prey when they aren't actually hunting. Apparently for "fun".

Since we don't understand how we "tick" it is enormous hubris on our part to make claims about what the other creatures we share the planet with can and can't do/experience.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Based on the objective behavior of a large number of people during the last 10 months I'm not sure that all "humans" do (global, not just within our country.

I've wondered about that for many years only to have it confirmed this year.

[chuck]

I've wondered about that for many years only to have it confirmed this year.

Yes, 2020 has been a real eye opener. I have a hard time believing/understanding how so many people could behave so badly, especially against their own short term self interest. Immediate, maybe. Long term, no way.

I am appalled yet fascinated by all of the b.s. on YouTube. Not only will I behave badly/foolishly, I'm going to document it too!. I can be a gold plated flaming f'ing *hole for the whole world to see!

This year can't end soon enough.

[MartyE]

This year can't end soon enough.

What makes you think next year will be any better? LOL!

[Rufus T. Firefly]

This year can't end soon enough.

What makes you think next year will be any better? LOL!

Sadly, in some ways it won't be since way too many people have very little memory of anything real or anything older than 15 minutes....

[chuck]

What makes you think next year will be any better? LOL!

Didn't say it would be. Would be nice but I'm not holding my breath.

Once vaccine on line, a second one about to be. Steps in the right direction.

[robert.]

What makes you think next year will be any better? LOL!

Sadly, in some ways it won't be since way too many people have very little memory of anything real or anything older than 15 minutes....

2020 is hindsight!

[MurphOnMillerAve]

I had heard there was a goat which at its own volition took to leading a blind horse around their property, for quite a long time. That inspired this Topic in me.

Also, hasn't there been a Cheetah and a large dog (Golden Retriever?) that became fast friends upon first meeting?

[robert.]

Hoses get along very good with goats. 1goat 1 horse. A perfect match. i believe my dog had dreams. He would bark and move his legs while sleeping.