Interesting. Does this imply you’ve solved the comparison-with-nonexistence problem? Presuming dog populations are pretty much defined by human behavior, keeping a dog is a net dog-life additional to not-keeping one. That dog’s life is less ideal than one on a farm, but that’s not the comparison you’re making. Is it less ideal than not existing at all?
[ n.b. I have two cats, no dogs, though I have a number of friends with dogs. The animals in question live much easier and less interesting lives than their evolutionary environment, and do not seem unhappy (though, yes, often bored or annoyed). Note also that this describes me pretty well too. ]
Interesting. Does this imply you’ve solved the comparison-with-nonexistence problem? Presuming dog populations are pretty much defined by human behavior, keeping a dog is a net dog-life additional to not-keeping one. That dog’s life is less ideal than one on a farm, but that’s not the comparison you’re making. Is it less ideal than not existing at all?
[ n.b. I have two cats, no dogs, though I have a number of friends with dogs. The animals in question live much easier and less interesting lives than their evolutionary environment, and do not seem unhappy (though, yes, often bored or annoyed). Note also that this describes me pretty well too. ]
I want to say there was some study that concluded domestic animals—particularly pets—are stupider than their wild relative.