Thank you for writing this. For future reference, I am much more convinced by arguments that animals suffer in a way that is similar to how humans suffer (e.g. in a way that, if I saw it, would activate the same neurons in my head that activate when I see a human suffer) than by arguments that animals suffer in some more abstract sense, and I expect that I’m not alone in this preference.
Something like that would help. I would also say “videos of animals suffering,” but I anticipate already reacting negatively to those in a way that is similar to how I would react negatively to videos of humans suffering, so that’s probably unnecessary.
[“New animal model for objective pain research: noninvasive functional imaging in anesthetized animals by
BOLD fMRI to study initial processes of chronic pain
Thank you for writing this. For future reference, I am much more convinced by arguments that animals suffer in a way that is similar to how humans suffer (e.g. in a way that, if I saw it, would activate the same neurons in my head that activate when I see a human suffer) than by arguments that animals suffer in some more abstract sense, and I expect that I’m not alone in this preference.
I’m not clear as to what would count as evidence toward satisfying your preference. Do you need fMRI scans of animals? Those probably exist.
Nonhuman animals react in very analogous ways to analogous painful stimuli.
Something like that would help. I would also say “videos of animals suffering,” but I anticipate already reacting negatively to those in a way that is similar to how I would react negatively to videos of humans suffering, so that’s probably unnecessary.
These might be relevant citations:
“CNS animal fMRI in pain and analgesia.”
“fMRI of pain processing in the brain: a within-animal comparative study of BOLD vs. CBV and noxious electrical vs. noxious mechanical stimulation in rat.”
“Pain fMRI response in anesthetized rats correlates with behavioral response to pain in awake rats ”
[“New animal model for objective pain research: noninvasive functional imaging in anesthetized animals by BOLD fMRI to study initial processes of chronic pain
Thanks!
If you were unable to feel a specific unpleasant emotion, would you care about other people feeling it?
Why does it matter / why do you care about human suffering?