Emocje i etyka, czyli co łączy mnie ze zwierzętami
Emotions and Ethics or What I Have in Common with Animals

Author(s): Piotr Skubała
Subject(s): Studies of Literature
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Śląskiego
Keywords: emotions; morality; animals; symbiosis; science
Summary/Abstract: Modern scientific research in the field of evolutionary biology, cognitive ethology and social neuroscience clearly shows that many animals have rich emotional lives. For a long time we ignored the presence of empathy and compassion in other animals. One reason for this was the fear of anthropomorphism, which inhibited research on animal emotionality. The second reason is one‑sided, false picture of the natural world shown as a site of constant fight rather than symbiotic relationships. The opinion in which symbiosis is a typical phenomenon of fundamental importance in nature is making its way in science today. The study of ecosystems suggests that the relationships between living organisms are mostly based on the principle of cooperation and coexistence. We have more and more evidence that our morality is the heritage of our non‑human ancestors. Morality is the key to survival. We should look for tips for making ethical decisions regarding nature and animals in the knowledge that we have about the emotional life of animals and the functioning of nature and the role individual species play in it. Reliable science can and should take into account ethical considerations. The scientist should be guided by scientific knowledge as well as emotions and ethics, gifts that we have received from the animals.

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