A thought about love

[Melusine]

I think (intelligent) animals can definitely feel affection or even love. How can we presume we understand what goes on in their minds? We may be superior with regard to technical developments, I mean there *is* a huge difference between a human being and an animal, but that doesn't exclude the possibility they have "advanced" emotions

[Epona]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Melusine:
I think (intelligent) animals can definitely feel affection or even love. How can we presume we understand what goes on in their minds? We may be superior with regard to technical developments, I mean there *is* a huge difference between a human being and an animal, but that doesn't exclude the possibility they have "advanced" emotions

---

That's my thinking on it really. They may not be able to rationalise what they feel (but then neither can your average human lovestruck fool, LOL!) but that doesn't mean they feel it any less.

I think that love as an emotion has some sort of significance to survival in long-lived, young-nurturing species, even more so in humans and other creatures (parrots included) where the offspring are not able to get up and run (fly) from the moment they are born. It is of relevance to feel love, attachment, fondness etc. if it stops you from devouring your offspring, but also providing a situation where those offspring can develop. Back to parrots, where the male or female sits on the nest while the mate collects food to be regurgitated to both brooding parent *and* chicks - so a strong pair-bond is essential for the survival of the nest - if the parent sitting on the brood has to leave the nest to get food, the chicks will die. I think this necessity, combined with intelligence (counting humans, non-human primates, dolphins and parrots as the most 'cognitively advanced' species) and ability of having a long memory is what makes love possible. (Also yes of course this doesn't apply to humans much now, in that one parent can raise a family, but I'm talking about early humans at risk of predation and hunger- I don't think it's right to equate our early survival as a species with modern morals and behaviour).