I Need Some Links Or Book/magazine Articles About Scientific Evidence That Animals/pets Feel Love.?
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Does anyone have any references I can use in a discussion I have been having with some friends about whether or not animals or pets feel love the same way humans do? I believe they do, but I need some sort of scientific info to back me up so I can be proven correct. Thanks in advance!
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The best response to this question was actually written by Dr. Mark Hauser (god help me for saying he did something right) of Harvard University in his book Wild Minds.
If I may paraphrase, basicly Mark says that we can never scientifically say that animals experience emotions the same way we do. We know they exhibit the same type of behavioral cues, are affected by the same types of medications in the same manner, but there are reasons why we can’t say it is the same emotion.
Check out the first chapeter (maybe second) of the book. I can’t fault Mark’s logical reasoning (even if his experiments are garbage).
A great book I found years ago is When Elephants Weep: The emotional lives of animals. To assume we are the only animal that loves is ridiculous. The bonding of love and friendship helps any species to survive.