RE: Is God a logical contradiction?
February 14, 2020 at 11:09 am
(This post was last modified: February 14, 2020 at 11:11 am by Mister Agenda.)
We can infer pain when an animal behaves as though it is hurt, and the inference is further justified by examining its brain activity and seeing that it is similar to ours when we feel pain. The same mechanisms are in play. Also, we can infer that an animal can't feel pain when, say, it's neural activity is indicative of reflex action but it doesn't have the 'wiring' necessary to feel pain in the same way we do.
It's an inference justified enough for me to avoid stepping on my dog's foot in order to avoid abusing and hurting him; not just because I want to avoid prompting a reflex. Are you only concerned for the reflexes of animals and otherwise proceed on the presumption that they can't feel pain because we can't prove it to a mathematical certainty? If animals can't feel pain or suffer, it is impossible to be cruel to them. How far do you take your position?
You say we can't infer from the behavior of animals that their experiences are similar to ours, and that we can't infer from the brain-states of animals that their experiences are similar to ours. It sounds like you are reject inference altogether.
It's an inference justified enough for me to avoid stepping on my dog's foot in order to avoid abusing and hurting him; not just because I want to avoid prompting a reflex. Are you only concerned for the reflexes of animals and otherwise proceed on the presumption that they can't feel pain because we can't prove it to a mathematical certainty? If animals can't feel pain or suffer, it is impossible to be cruel to them. How far do you take your position?
You say we can't infer from the behavior of animals that their experiences are similar to ours, and that we can't infer from the brain-states of animals that their experiences are similar to ours. It sounds like you are reject inference altogether.
I'm not anti-Christian. I'm anti-stupid.
