"Time magazine says there is a "scientific debate" going on about whether animals commit suicide. What a load of poppycock!
The Mind Hacks blog links to Time's article, at least pointing out that: "The piece doesn't answer the question of whether animals can end it all, but is a fascinating look at how the idea that they can has gone in and out of fashion."
In case there's any confusion about whether animals can top themselves: they can't.
Animals would first need to be shown to have a well-developed sense of self before we could even consider the idea that they might decide to voluntarily end their lives. There is some evidence in a few animals for this, notably great apes, dolphins and elephants. Some corvids - birds in the family that includes crows and rooks - might be able to "know themselves" too.
Some robots have passed the mirror test, but dogs, horses and cats? There's no evidence that these animals have a sense of self.
The Time story comes from a paper discussing the history of the idea, from Aristotle to Victorian times. How this discussion of dusty anecdote becomes a "scientific debate" is unclear, to say the least."
Don't be so sure and hasty in refuting (mirror test = self aware is absurd) else science becomes religion. The right answer is WE DON'T KNOW YET, so much for humility.
The irony is if animals do commit suicide, the proof of that will be inferred from science someday.
Some robots have passed the mirror test, but dogs, horses and cats? There's no evidence that these animals have a sense of self.
The Time story comes from a paper discussing the history of the idea, from Aristotle to Victorian times. How this discussion of dusty anecdote becomes a "scientific debate" is unclear, to say the least."
Don't be so sure and hasty in refuting (mirror test = self aware is absurd) else science becomes religion. The right answer is WE DON'T KNOW YET, so much for humility.
The irony is if animals do commit suicide, the proof of that will be inferred from science someday.
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