The issue, though, is not that beliefs are founded on no evidence. Rather, it is that they are founded on insufficient evidence. It would, in my estimation, require some strange, inhuman bigot to say such a thing; rather, they will hold up their prejudices based on evidence which sounds entirely reasonable to them. There is nearly always a justification for treating the other tribe poorly; healthy human psychology doesn’t do well with baseless discrimination, so it invents (more accurately, seeks out with a hefty does of confirmation bias) reasons that its discrimination is well-founded.
In this case, the fact that ants do not appear to be affected by narcotics is evidence that they are different from humans, but it seems that it is insufficient to discount their suffering. I am very curious, however, as to why a lack of behavioral reaction to narcotics indicates that ant suffering is morally neutral. I feel that there is an implicit step I missed there.
I am very curious, however, as to why a lack of behavioral reaction to narcotics indicates that ant suffering is morally neutral.
The question of pain in insects is incredibly complicated, so please don’t take my glib example as anything more than that.
But if ants don’t have something analogous to opiods, then that would indicate that pain is never “bad” for them, which would be an (non-conclusive) indication they don’t suffer.
The issue, though, is not that beliefs are founded on no evidence. Rather, it is that they are founded on insufficient evidence. It would, in my estimation, require some strange, inhuman bigot to say such a thing; rather, they will hold up their prejudices based on evidence which sounds entirely reasonable to them. There is nearly always a justification for treating the other tribe poorly; healthy human psychology doesn’t do well with baseless discrimination, so it invents (more accurately, seeks out with a hefty does of confirmation bias) reasons that its discrimination is well-founded.
In this case, the fact that ants do not appear to be affected by narcotics is evidence that they are different from humans, but it seems that it is insufficient to discount their suffering. I am very curious, however, as to why a lack of behavioral reaction to narcotics indicates that ant suffering is morally neutral. I feel that there is an implicit step I missed there.
The question of pain in insects is incredibly complicated, so please don’t take my glib example as anything more than that.
But if ants don’t have something analogous to opiods, then that would indicate that pain is never “bad” for them, which would be an (non-conclusive) indication they don’t suffer.