Seems the crude “social Darwinist” (1)stories about animals lacking empathy is a load of crap. And boffins have proved it with an experiment involving rats that consistently help fellow trapped rats. At this juncture, I can only propose we dig up BF Skinner and hang him.
Long-term readers of DT will remember the thing about the macaque in a grotesque experiment that refused to eat when eating would mean an electric shock was delivered to another macaque.
Surely it couldn’t be that we are relentlessly told and sold a view of the natural world that bears no relation to reality, that is actively contradicted by the facts, just so a few psychopaths and their damaged and deformed cadre can keep themselves in status and domination? No, that’s wild conspiracy theory, that is…
(1) neither social or Darwinist, in truth
Bravo! I am all into imitating ants. I guess I will have to add rats to the list.
“I can only propose we dig up BF Skinner and hang him.”
Heh. That takes me back… the Church dug up Wycliff and burned him. Wouldn’t doing it in effigy be more fun, less macabre…?
“Less macabre = more fun”? Does not compute. Sorry.