SilasBarta comments on Richard Dawkins on vivisection: "But can they suffer?" - Less Wrong

14 Post author: XiXiDu 04 July 2011 04:56PM

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Comment author: SilasBarta 06 July 2011 05:41:18PM 1 point [-]

A tree secretes resin to seal the wound if you cut its trunk, but this doesn't mean that it is suffering. A bacterium might swim away from a chemical or a temperature gradient it's ill-equipped to survive; but this doesn't mean that it is suffering. The existence of a self-protective or harm-avoiding response does not imply suffering.

To go even further, a spring returns to its equilibrium position when you pull on it and let go.