• zqwzzle@lemmy.ca
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        7 months ago

        Do most animals choose between right and wrong, or are they acting on instinct?

        • Omega_Haxors
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          7 months ago

          We used to think that animals couldn’t feel pain now we know plants can. The whole idea animals just go off instinct is wildly outdated and comes from the junk science era of fascist human supremacy. They probably do have morals and they definitely don’t align with ours.

          That being said insects have a pretty good case for being instinct only considering they live such short lives but then again some bugs can go as far as recognize faces so maybe we’re vastly underestimating their capabilities too. Slight tangent, their vision is also a lot better than we give them credit for too, segmented eyes have basically infinite depth of field and the vision quality isn’t as bad as one would think.

    • Jo Miran
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      7 months ago

      I was going to say Sea-Min-Pin but the OP never used “on PCP” as a descriptor.

  • 👍Maximum Derek👍@discuss.tchncs.de
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    7 months ago

    Yeah, Sea Lions are obnoxious and destructive but not usually malicious. But Seals can be mean just for fun. They would make excellent early 2000s prank show hosts.

    • TIMMAY@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      Id guess most people think of fur seal pups or something when they think of seals. I think of the leopard seal. Mean motherfuckers

  • Ephera
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    7 months ago

    the intelligence of a toddler

    Is that more or less intelligence than a cat?

    • CitizenKong@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      Fun fact, trying to determine if a dog is more intelligent than a cat is nearly impossible because that it’s hard to tell if the cat doesn’t understand the test or just can’t be bothered.

      • tromars@feddit.de
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        7 months ago

        Wasn’t there a study on cats that concluded something like „cats know when you call their name but just don’t care“?

      • Zerush
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        7 months ago

        The cat understand perfectly the test, but think that, if you like it so much, leave me alone and do it yourself. A dog is a pack animal and for this reason it obeys, yes or yes, the leader of the pack, the owner, a cat or felines in general, with the exception of lions, they are solitary hunters and do not have the concept of a leader, A cat sees you as an equal, at most a friend, but not as a leader. This has nothing to do with intelligence, but with the very nature of these animals.

          • Zerush
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            7 months ago

            Yes, cats can form groups when this offers them advantages in food and survival, as is frequently seen in stray cats, but they are anarchic groups, without fixed leadership. Naturally you can train cats, but only if they see an advantage in following what they have learned, they must be convinced to follow your instructions, which is much more complicated than in the case of dogs.

    • Tolookah@discuss.tchncs.de
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      7 months ago

      It depends. If the toddler is trying to actively kill themselves, they are super smart AND fast. On the other hand, I’m told that some cats share a braincell, and if it’s not their turn with it, then that’s that.

      It all depends on the frame of reference.

    • Kyrgizion@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      I was just about to say that all the cats I’ve known had the intelligence of toddlers and the morals of seagulls.

  • Omega_Haxors
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    7 months ago

    They’re cute as long as you’re out of ear (and nose) range.