I’m imagining tasting where other people have been walking, and I can see a possible market for octopus shoes. Especially if other people haven’t been cleaning up after their dogs.
Of course, it might just be that I’m squeamish because I’m not used to it. (But an octopus civilisation might choose the material from which to make their paths based on the taste thereof...)
I think you’re right. That squeamishness is very much a product of you having grown up as not-an-octopus.
Most creatures taste with an organ that’s at the top of their digestive tract, it’s fairly sensible that they have an aversion to tasting anything that they would be unhealthy for them to consume.
A species that had always had a chemical-composition-sense on all of it’s limbs? Would almost certainly have a very different relationship with that sense than we have with taste.
Hmmm. Fair enough. But even if they’re not squeamish about it, it would make sense for them to select the material from which they make their walkways according to flavour (among other factors, such as strength and durability).
I’m imagining tasting where other people have been walking, and I can see a possible market for octopus shoes. Especially if other people haven’t been cleaning up after their dogs.
Of course, it might just be that I’m squeamish because I’m not used to it. (But an octopus civilisation might choose the material from which to make their paths based on the taste thereof...)
I think you’re right. That squeamishness is very much a product of you having grown up as not-an-octopus.
Most creatures taste with an organ that’s at the top of their digestive tract, it’s fairly sensible that they have an aversion to tasting anything that they would be unhealthy for them to consume.
A species that had always had a chemical-composition-sense on all of it’s limbs? Would almost certainly have a very different relationship with that sense than we have with taste.
Hmmm. Fair enough. But even if they’re not squeamish about it, it would make sense for them to select the material from which they make their walkways according to flavour (among other factors, such as strength and durability).
Yup! I agree completely.
If you were modeling an octopus-based sentient species, for the purposes of writing some interesting fiction, then this would be a nice detail to add.