I disagree competely with the contention that animals have no "inner life". I've always had dogs and I am very close to my dogs. With a couple of exceptions they've all been herding dog breeds, mostly kelpies and crosses with kelpies.

Yabby's mention of the dog amusing itself by playing with a pebble rings very true. Moreover, dogs often actively seek out things to play with, whether it be a piece of stick or another animal (or human). When they live in an environment in which there is the possibility of having an active mental life, rather than being stuck in a tiny backyard with the only stimulation being provided by the call to food, they respond by being more mentally active. This is no different to humans. Prisoners show every sign of being reactive lumps, since that is all they can do.

I also agree with Yabby's suggestion that to understand humans, you need to examine the lower primates, something that many sociologists seem reluctant to do, preferring their own "construction" of human behavioural motivations to the rigorous scientific "observe, hypothesize, test, repeat".

The meaning of life is simple: avoid boredom.

There are some well thought out contributions on this thread.
I particularly liked Squeers's approach (which is something of a first!).
With one small exception, his comment that: "the natural looks deflationarily banal".
Quantum theory, describes a natural world, that can hardly be said to be banal.

For me, one of the purposes I've assigned myself-- when I can set aside some time from my myriad of competing purposes --is to venture onto OLO and do what little I can to combat the forces of darkness --which invariably sees me crossing swords with Poriot.

Anti,

I agree with you and Yabby that the study of primates is useful in understanding the ways of man.

How do you define "inner life"?

By quoting Ortega, I was referring to the human propensity for contemplation, his ability to construct theoretical propositions, which in turn enable him to solve problems and develop new and innovative ideas. He is afforded that luxury because he is able to keep the forces of nature at bay.

Dogs are intelligent creatures who team so well with man, however, describing their playful cleverness to alleviate their boredom means that they play to alleviate their boredom. In a natural situation they would be part of a pack, and like a primate in the wild would be enthrall to outside influences beyond their control. This, of course, affects mankind also, yet we do demonstrate an ability to create sanctuary from threat to a much higher degree than other species.

SPQR,

Forces of darkness, eh.

How do you define "inner life"? Good qusetion. Perhaps the ability to dream and to look forward to things? Feeling affection?

My dogs have all shown every sign of having an active dream life, often twitching their legs or "snarling" and making all sorts of small sounds. They all look forward to things like going for drives or walks or other abstract activities. They're not just eating, crapping sleeping machines. They actively seek out affection and display it, both to other dogs and to humans if they encounter them as a normal and benign part of life.

My previous dog used to look both ways before crossing the road. I didn't teach her, she learnt it herself.

If they had opposable thumbs, we might well have ended up as the pets.

Anti,

Dogs are clever, often surprisingly so. Other species often surprise us with their systems and behaviours, especially those that encompass cooperation with a fellow species.

But your dog dreams during sleep - as do humans. I'm referring to contemplation during consciousness. the ability to "dream up" ideas that are different or innovative, to visualise and infer, and then to apply the thought.

Humans are fairly puny in a physical sense, we lack the pure athletic prowess of most mammals. We don't possess a sting or venom, our teeth aren't much chop in comparison to other primates. We are endowed with a huge cranium that makes birthing difficult and our offspring are particularly helpless in infancy and dependent for a long time, etc, etc. The main threat to our well-being in the natural world, apart from other species, is the weather - and other humans.
The overwhelming factor in our dominance of the environment is our neo-cortex and the ability to innovate and adapt. We're masters at that particular game.

The other peculiarity is our penchant for metaphysical theory. If we don't understand something we tend to invoke "magic" to solve our conundrum, or at least satisfy our confusion. In other words, although we advance by mastering our physical environment using our gift of intelligence, we have recourse to purely theoretical propositions that don't conform to physical laws.

what is the adjenda behind making animals 'huhman'
sure animals use tools...so reveal themselves to be tools too?

you cant compare a tool with a fool
to compare a long stick or a rounded rock
or rockchips to a protacter..or knowing pye r squared

we have retarded humans and even they are far beyond animals
sure we share dna and basics of cell reproduction..but this could be more likely to be the result of de-evolution..that evolution..[that implies new advantage from nuthing

we could start with a bible
and graduly loose whole chapters and verse
and end up with bacteria...[god devolving into nothingness
[as opposed to bacteria becomming god]

here we are huh man
we watched the stars..measured the season
can look at random form and determine words

there is no comparison..to the dreams of a simpleton..nor a dog
to think your dreaming is the same as darwin..or jesus..or einstein
[well its plainly absurd]..to say your dog can create classical music..or duplicate rembrandt..or build the twin towers[let alone blow them down]

show me the dog rule book
point out what the dogs wrote
show me how the dog built your habitation[home]

sure it might be fun
if you could sweet talk the womankind into bonobo fear response
im not quite sure i wouldnt lie down..and take it..like a man and take the 'love'..the ol quater ton/silver back wants to spead arround freely.

humans cant comprehend animals
by giving them huhman qualities
those who are at the spiritual evolution of beast
chose by their ignorance their beastly incarnation

our spirits have evolved[spiritual evolution of eternal spirit]
accross many material growth incarnations..not material evolution

use your volution
see putting an e before it has subverted your own volutions
there is a solution..say enough..show me the proof

life reveals meaning..it may have been there
from the beginning...only waiting for higher appriciation
by a higher evolved being..that the highest being..in whom's image we are created

your almost a god
why chose to devolve back into beast
[or put up with them lording their reigns of error[terror[..over all of creation]