Prominent Scientists Sign Declaration that Animals have Conscious Awareness

reply to post by jiggerj

In order to gain hope we would have change what we are, but then we wouldn't be human anymore, would we? Ergo, hope is irrelevant.

Yes we would be a new kind of human. They now believe the very first humans were grass eaters, our appendix was probably a left over part of that digestive system. we are still human after many forms of humans have existed before us. I would hope we could become more refined in every way.

reply to post by Char-Lee

Seems that minority are usually somewhere in the crowd. I revere trees, but I don't go around hugging them either.


Reply by Char-Lee

 

Why not? I do it all the time.

Oh, I guess I should rephrase that (ahem). Have you ever sat in a grove of ancient redwoods and just listened? I mean more like "opening your mind"? I look up and up at them and suddenly I become aware of the immensity of time since they been there and it makes me fuzzy. If you get that from "hugging" them, thats cool.

I think in order for a tree to become aware of me I would have to stand there long enough until it grew around my arms. Only then would it "know" I was there. Just my opinion, of course.

In the Lord of the Rings, the Ents were sort of slow and talked deeply... the real trees creak and groan. They rustle in the wind. And they scream when they die by fire and chainsaws.

reply to post by Char-Lee

Why do you continue to eat them? There are other choices?

For me its a money thing. I get a pound of ground turkey from Trader Joe's for four dollars. Thats four days of dinner for a dollar each day. My excuse is I don't do it that often. I get tired of eating burgers too.

I know I have sinned and fallen short, too.

reply to post by Char-Lee

Why will not people call it what it is then? Ground up-chopped up cows. Juice=body fluids and blood.

Everyone knows that a Filet Mignon is just a piece of dead, burnt flesh.

Originally posted by intrptr
reply to post by Char-Lee

 

Why will not people call it what it is then? Ground up-chopped up cows. Juice=body fluids and blood.

Everyone knows that a Filet Mignon is just a piece of dead, burnt flesh.

But no one likes to use the true terms that tells us something I think!

Originally posted by intrptr
reply to post by Char-Lee

 

Seems that minority are usually somewhere in the crowd. I revere trees, but I don't go around hugging them either.


Reply by Char-Lee

 

Why not? I do it all the time.

Oh, I guess I should rephrase that (ahem). Have you ever sat in a grove of ancient redwoods and just listened? I mean more like "opening your mind"? I look up and up at them and suddenly I become aware of the immensity of time since they been there and it makes me fuzzy. If you get that from "hugging" them, thats cool.

I think in order for a tree to become aware of me I would have to stand there long enough until it grew around my arms. Only then would it "know" I was there. Just my opinion, of course.

In the Lord of the Rings, the Ents were sort of slow and talked deeply... the real trees creak and groan. They rustle in the wind. And they scream when they die by fire and chainsaws.

I live in the Redwoods, they are all around me all day. I first noticed there was a feeling that passes from the tree to myself when i was very young. If I touch them i feel a flow of energy and I feel calm and healthy, strong like the tree.

reply to post by Char-Lee

Most people can't visit a slaughter house and continue to eat meat.

reply to post by Char-Lee

I live in the Redwoods, they are all around me all day.

Jealous! I live near them and don't visit them enough.

I eat meat because it's damn good. I can see how if the animals we eat are conscious that it becomes a touchy issue, but I still think it's the natural cycle of things for animals to eat other animals, regardless of if they are conscious or not. Although I do think the way we cage up and mass produce animals for eating is quite immoral if those animals are conscious. We should at least be providing them with open land and space to live in the time that they are alive.

But this really does not shock me at all... most people who have owned a cat or dog will tell you without a doubt that those animals are capable of feeling emotions and demonstrate many other forms of higher level behavior. My cat can most certainly feel emotions such as fear, loneliness, playfulness, anger, jealousy, and an array of other emotions. It can recognize it's own image in a mirror and can communicate many different thoughts to me through it's cat language.

Most of the time my cat is a friendly and affectionate animal, but it still goes out and hunts other animals, it tears things apart limb by limb like some sort of bloodthirsty psychopath. Some times it brings parts of the dead thing to me acting like it's done something good. I get angry of course but I can't really do much because it's in the cats nature to kill things and eat them. Just as it is in the nature of humans to eat meat, there's nothing inherently wrong with it.

reply to post by purplemer

wow! science is running a little behind I'd suppose...?

it doesn't take a rocket scientist or a zoologist even to look into a dog or cat's eyes and tell they are aware of their own existence.

National Geographic can sure put things in perspective

This is bad. This is real bad.

Since the dawn of man we have maintained status quo with the animal kingdom, and then we go about doing something as stupid as acknowledge them to be aware?

If they realize that we realize... All hell will break loose. Just to be safe, for any cat reading this: I welcome our new overlords with all my heart!

reply to post by purplemer


I am not impressed with this study or the outlandish theories people will try to attribute to it. So many bleeding hearts say we have oppressed animals. Ironically, I do not hear an explanation as to why animals choose to make lunch or dinner out of humans. If i do hear such an explanation it is so insulting to an animal that I want to puke. I swear, the only reason human beings have become such carebears is because the challenge of providing sustenance has been supplanted by the Industrial Revolution.

All living creatures have some sort of consciousness. Only a fool would believe otherwise. However, to expand upon this belief to the point where lawn grass or a cockroach has an identical awareness to a human is ludicrous.

In any case I do not and will not feel any sort of guilt for the deaths of these creatures. Human civilization has been ongoing for quite some time and has, from the start, exploited other species to advance. I am not so far naive to think that I am a bad person for doing so. Nor would I think that a predatory animal that had slain me did it for any other reason than survival.

Simply pathetic how weak the human race has become. I have to applaud the the animals that do not and will not hold back making a meal out of a human due to necessity. Call me cruel but I hope the first human dinners are the ones that believe all humans & animals can embark an ark and sing happy happy joy joy. That scenario makes me want to retch.

All creatures are unique for a reason. That reason has nothing to do with making certain groups of humans feel superior or enlightened or more special than others. Enjoy your egotistical ramblings. I will sit back and respect life the way my ancient ancestors did so long ago.

reply to post by purplemer


This is good news. However it is only a small step. Still a very good step..! It would be nice if countries the world over would sign this declaration. For most people who encounter animals or have had pets it is obvious that these wondrous beings are conscious and aware...

They have dreams like us too. They feel and hurt. They experience emotions. They are not so different from us... And the way we treat many of these animals worldwide is just not right...

s/f OP... Thanks purp nice find

reply to post by purplemer

S+f,and this is something I see on a daily basis with my own cats and dogs,I have even encountered it in non-domesticated animals.I would go so far as to add(pertaining to my own experience only)that there is psychic ability and telepathy at play also.And far higher conventional intelligence+power of perception+understanding than animals are generally credited with.There is a whole "dimension" here that is as yet unexplored,and an awe-inspiring dimension at that.The 1st link under my signature goes to a thread I have on amazing encounters wiith animals+many members have added their own.One of my most jaw-dropping experiences involve a dungbeetle,so I wonder if this extends further than mammals.Pray Mantises seem able to pick up on my huge affection for them,at times it's like I'm a Mantis-magnet.I've even fallen asleep with a mantis on my bed right next to my head+it was still there in the morning.

reply to post by butcherguy


As a kid I used to believe that while I was awake the world functioned and rotated around me - much like the old theory that the sun rotated around the earth. Whilst I slept my creation slept too - awaiting my waking. So can really appreciate that thought. Maybe we really are all of one mind functioning through different limbs.

reply to post by My_Reality

Simply pathetic how weak the human race has become. I have to applaud the the animals that do not and will not hold back making a meal out of a human due to necessity. Call me cruel but I hope the first human dinners are the ones that believe all humans & animals can embark an ark and sing happy happy joy joy.

That scenario makes me want to retch. All creatures are unique for a reason. That reason has nothing to do with making certain groups of humans feel superior or enlightened or more special than others. Enjoy your egotistical ramblings. I will sit back and respect life the way my ancient ancestors did so long ago.

I think your ancestors of old would be showing a little more compassion and empathy to life than you are showing here. Such attributes make us stronger as a race not weaker my friend..

Most animals are more conscious, more sentient, than the average human lumbering about. If you doubt this, go visit a WalMart.

reply to post by ColeYounger


What a scientific argument!

reply to post by Astrocyte


Maybe not scientific, but valid in its own way none the less...