Jessica (Center for Bioethics and Humanities, University of Colorado Denver, Anchutz Medical Campus in Denver, Colorado,
Scientists have long counseled against interpreting animal behavior in terms of human emotions, warning that such anthropomorphizing limits our ability to understand animals as they really are. Yet what are we to make of a female gorilla in a German zoo who spent days mourning the death of her baby? Or a wild female elephant who cared for a younger one after she was injured by a rambunctious teenage male? Or a rat who refused to push a lever for food when he saw that doing so caused another rat to be shocked? Aren't these clear signs that animals have recognizable emotions and moral...
Scientists have long counseled against interpreting animal behavior in terms of human emotions, warning that such anthropomorphizing limits our abi...
Jessica (Center for Bioethics and Humanities, University of Colorado Denver, Anchutz Medical Campus in Denver, Colorado,
A life shared with pets brings many emotions. We feel love for our companions, certainly, and happiness at the thought that we're providing them with a safe, healthy life. But there's another emotion, less often acknowledged, that can be nearly as powerful: guilt. When we see our cats gazing wistfully out the window, or watch a goldfish swim lazy circles in a bowl, we can't help but wonder: are we doing the right thing, keeping these independent beings locked up, subject to our control? Is keeping pets actually good for the pets themselves? That's the question that animates...
A life shared with pets brings many emotions. We feel love for our companions, certainly, and happiness at the thought that we're providing them with ...
