Position:Home>Philosophy> Are animals capable of feeling emotions?
Question: Are animals capable of feeling emotions!?
I'm not asking if they are sentient beings, i!.e!. ability to feel pain and suffering!. Rather, emotions like depression, happiness, etc!. I ask because one of my friends claims they do!. She told me that her cat gets "happy" every time it sees her!. I said that the animal just wants the food, and it "knows" she gives it that!. I also think animals must posses some sort of rationale/conscious in order to experience feelings!. Anyways, so it went on, and I thought it'd be interesting to ask you folk!.
What do you think, do animals feel emotions!? Please refrain yourself from things such as: "It looks sad, happy," etc!. also don't confuse instinct with emotions!Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Most land mammals can be forced to shed tears!. But few do so as frequently and without overt external cause as humans!. It is assumed that although they COULD cry, they don't because they are simply not complex enough to have emotions!.
There is evidence to suggest that this is not entirely the case, however!. Elephants and gorillas have both been observed to cry in situations where there was no apparent external cause whatsoever, and just about any cat or dog owner can tell you that their pets have moods!. There is also something to be said for Occam's Razor: If animals can't feel emotions why do so many of them SEEM to!?
Perhaps what's really happening is a middle ground!. Animals have emotions but because they can't predict, remember, and appreciate different levels of situations with our faculty they just don't experience them with either the intensity, variety, and frequency that we do!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
At least mammals can!. The area of the brain that scientists think is responsible for emotion is developed in mammals!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
oh you're wrong!. i hear people with this bullshit happy-for-food argument!. that's just ignorance!. i never feed my cat but he still sleeps on my lap everyday!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Yes, I believe so a friend of my mom's had two rottweilers, male and female!. The female died and the male became very inactive, overweight and never wagged its tail/became excited anymoreWww@QuestionHome@Com
Yes, I think animals do feel emotions!.
When my dog is getting petted she expresses happiness by "smiling" with her mouth and putting her ears back, wagging her tail!. Even if she doesn't want food!.
When I come home she acts excited to see me!. When my husband comes home she runs and hides!. Sometimes he feeds her and although she takes the food she still runs from him!. He never did anything to her, she just has some weird phobia about him!. She is a shelter rescued dog and is afraid of him for some reason but adores me!. It is clear to me from the way she acts and reacts that she does experience feelings like joy, excitement and anxiety!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
They might not have some human emotions like humiliation!. They feel shame when they do something wrong but not like falling or something!. If they jump on the counter and eat your food, you yell at them and they get scared and hide!. They also have emotions like happy, sad, depressed, boredom, and lonliness!. I have a dog!. So I pretty much understand them!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Yes of course they do and anyone who has lived with animals - mammals ayway - will tell you that!. Animals are intelligent, reasoning beings to the extent that fits them in their ecological niche, just the same as humans are, with much DNA in common with us!. And I am not sure that you can so easily separate instinct from emotions, as it will beg the question of how much human behaviour is instinctive as opposed to emotional!. The need for food, sex, family and companionship for example!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
no question about it yes they do!. Love the greatest emotion there is!. i am not say love is the only emotion they feel just on of the sometimes easier to see!.
what about the dog who lies trying to save his master
the dog that won't eat after its owner has died!.
i know those are dog examples but they are what came to mind anyway animals feel emotionWww@QuestionHome@Com