Have you ever wondered what other animals think and feel? Today, science is revealing aspects of animals’ inner lives that would have been thought a fantasy just a generation ago. Studies show that all vertebrates (and at least some invertebrates) have the physiology and behavior to experience pain and pleasure—the hallmarks of sentience.
Studies of animal emotion also reveal a complex inner psychology, meta-cognition, theory of mind, bereavement, culture, optimism and pessimism, self-awareness, empathy, altruism, and a sense of fairness have all been documented in a growing range of species. Fishes, the most underestimated of all vertebrate groups, show cognition, tool use, and Machiavellian social dynamics that include deception, keeping accounts of others, and interspecies communication and cooperation.
The 20th Century has witnessed an unprecedented rise of moral concern for animals. We have no reason to think that non-human animals feel pain or pleasure less acutely than we do. The implications are sobering and revolutionary!
Vegan biologist and bestselling author Jonathan Balcombe, PhD, shares his perceptions of “The Inner Lives of Animals” on this webinar. Register for our our Sustainable Activism Webinars on the first Thursday of every month from 5-6pm Pacific Time here: [ Ссылка ]
