Online Class Notes (Vicki)

Vocabulary

verbalise – make speech

empathetic – share the same feeling
i.e. You should be more empathetic towards other people’s feelings.

domesticated – in-land
i.e. Flying from Shanghai to Shenzhen is a domesticated flight.

non-domesticated animal – wild animal

legislation – law

vertebrate animal – animals with spines

crustaceans – animals with hard shells

sentient – having feelings, emotional

cynical – question everything

anthropology – study of ancient things

profound – deep, significant

depth – noun version of deep

When you encounter animals, do you wonder what they’re thinking? Seeing a newborn lamb or a cute puppy might stir up happy emotions in us, but what are they thinking? Does the look on their face and how they behave indicate how they’re feeling – or are they feeling nothing at all?

Humans have a complex range of emotions, but it’s hard to tell what’s going on inside the heads of animals, mainly because they can’t verbalise their feelings. Perhaps it’s pets we think we understand most – as they are the animals we spend a lot of time with and therefore get to know best. Some of us own dogs because they are good companions, are loyal and seem to connect with us. We might even think they love us, although love could just be a human emotion. Professor Kim Bard, an expert in comparative developmental psychology from the University of Portsmouth, told the BBC: “We have a few studies now that actually show, scientifically… that [some] dogs will respond with empathetic concern when their owner – but not a stranger – pretends to cry.” The empathetic ability of cats, however, is harder to work out.

Other non-domesticated animals might have feelings too. Giraffes and whales, for example, are known to experience grief when someone in their group dies. Farm animals we often eat, such as cows and chickens, are also believed to experience pain, joy and other emotions. Their wellbeing is now taken into consideration more. And in the UK, new legislation means all vertebrate animals and crustaceans will be recognised in law as sentient beings. It’s believed even tiny creatures like insects might have emotions as well. Research is beginning to show they experience a wide range of feelings. Writing for BBC Future website, Zaria Gorvett says “they can be optimistic, cynical, or frightened, and respond to pain just like any mammal would.”

Dr Barbara J King, Emerita Professor of Anthropology at the College of William and Mary, told the BBC: “If we understand the profound depths of emotions animals can feel, this should make us question the existence of zoos and slaughterhouses around the world, and rethink those systems.” It does seem all creatures feel emotion, but what is not clear is do they feel the same way as us?