(January 27, 2014 at 4:35 pm)Bad Wolf Wrote: So they can remember, so what? Lots of animals can remember past events, it doesn't mean they obsess and worry about the past like we do, or get stressed and apprehensive about the future. We are the only animals to do that. Those studies say nothing about emotion at all. And no, there is no way that any animal has the same range of emotions as humans do. Its down to our significantly higher intelligence that we feel emotion much more acutely than any other animal. Thats the reason why you are overriding your nature and indeed disobeying the laws of nature, of eating meat, because you feel bad about it.
When an animal expresses distress and horror at being about to be killed I would say it experiences significant apprehension about the future! At least humans have the ability to use language to rationalise pain and suffering, for example temporalising it to reduce anxiety. Animals do not have this ability and could therefore feel the things they do feel even more acutely. We don't know.
Since when is disobeying the "laws of nature"(whatever they are) wrong? I would rather take antibiotics to cure a simple infection than let nature takes it course and potentially die! If someone were to force nature on their ill child by preventing them from taking antibiotics, I would say that is wrong, and would support the state in ensuring they were given antibiotics. Its the same with meat eating, "natural" but also cruel and wrong.
