[isodev]

Also as humans, we're incredibly good at being able to suspect all kinds of beings for having a consciousness, except the ones we tend to use for food or work. For example, folks are way more comfortable talking about cats and dogs having feelings vs. say cows and horses. I'd hate a future where we finally realize that they were all conscious, all the time, just differently than we are.

[automatic6131]

>folks are way more comfortable talking about cats and dogs having feelings vs. say cows and horses.

Please control your observations for the people that spend time around cows and horses vs cats and dogs. As someone who has met a few farmers in their time, folks who keep livestock will tell you that cows & pigs have feelings. Sheep, ehh less than those two. And chickens? Even less.

[phkahler]

>> folks are way more comfortable talking about cats and dogs having feelings vs. say cows and horses.

Our family cat has empathy. It often acts like the stereotypical asshole - feed me and leave me alone - but when someone is feeling down, that cat will come lay close and rest a paw on them.

[galleywest200]

I suspect those folks have not spent a considerable amount of time with either cows or horses, and thus they do not know that they too have feelings. Horses absolutely have feelings...it used to be a war tactic to scare horses.

[heresie-dabord]

> except the ones we tend to use for food or work

Also excepting the humans whom we seek to exploit or attack.

[Fatnino]

Why would having consciousness take a creature off the menu?

We don't eat humans, because we are humans. Everything else is fair game.

If super intelligent aliens smarter than humans came here it would be OK to eat them.

[theonemind]

It seems to me like very few people would doubt that cows and horses are conscious? We just eat/use them anyway with a bit of cognitive dissonance.