From:
Linda Iroff
Date: 2005-01-31 00:26:43 UTC
Subject: re: Ferrets and their (in)ability to deliberate
To: Ferret Health List <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com>
Cc: smb11@uakron.edu
Message-id: <C84B9922-731E-11D9-9947-000A95DA8BEE@oberlin.edu>
> Today, one of my professors stated that animals don=92t have the ability =
=
> to deliberate therefore they cannot reason or be rational.
I would say that your professor is rather behind in the latest in =
animal behavior research. Just about EVERY characteristic that we like =
to use to separate us from animals has been shown to occur in the =
animal world as well: language, empathy, culture, tool use, even =
disception (lying). In truth, we are NO DIFFERENT from animals in =
anything but degree.
Linda Iroff