Life Sciences Plants know they are being eaten

[Dedalus]

Thoughts?

Plants Know They Are Being Eaten - Business Insider

 

[KLS52]

I don't know what to think about the article. It bothers me to think that we are going to have to start worrying about plants and their feelings.

 

[flyingsnail]

A clear misuse of the word "know" and an underhanded attempt to invalidate vegetarianism. Plants have developed all sorts of defenses against animals, this study isn't just another example, but the idea that they do it knowingly rather than due to an evolved and mindless response is silly.

This sorts of issues, at best, call into question vegans rigid dividing line between the animal and non-animal kingdoms.

 

[Blobbenstein]

I do think plants could have a bit of conciousness, and intelligences....maybe on the level of a slug......cellular conciousness....there was a link that Indian Summer posted.....they said the tips of the roots had some intelligence....

We shouldn't deny ideas just because they uncomfortable. We could be denying important truths.

 

[Blobbenstein]

here is the link:
The Intelligent Plant - The New Yorker

 

[yakherder]

Did anyone ever see the original "The Thing" with the vegetable monster thing? Not that it's relevant to the thread, but as an American everything reminds me of something I saw in a movie.

 

[Blobbenstein]

I loved the original The Thing.

 

[Blobbenstein]

Well I meant the Carpenter one,but the original was goo as well.

 

[Clueless Git]

Thoughts?

I thought of an experiment to try at home

1. Bite the first omni you come across who thinks that the possibility of plant sentience points towards a plant based diet being cruel.

2. Ask freshly bitten omni if he/she would now like to include the possibility of animal sentience into his/her thinking as well.

3. Phone your local betting shop and see what the odds are on a head of celery beating a chicken in an IQ test.

 

[Blobbenstein]

They might be more 'aware' of being eaten rather in actual pain.

 

[Dedalus]

I thought of an experiment to try at home

1. Bite the first omni you come across who thinks that the possibility of plant sentience points towards a plant based diet being cruel.

2. Ask freshly bitten omni if he/she would now like to include the possibility of animal sentience into his/her thinking as well.

3. Phone your local betting shop and see what the odds are on a head of celery beating a chicken in an IQ test.

Nice!

 

[Tom L.]

It is true that plants have defenses when attacked or injured, but I'm not convinced that this indicates sentience.

For example, if someone were in a coma, their immune system would still function. The immune response is obviously important for survival, but it doesn't involve any consciousness.

Another thought: suppose a plant could feel and be aware. What good would this do a plant? Unless a plant were able to move away from an animal who was eating it, or maybe fight them off, there would be no benefit to being aware of being munched on. Even animals which have little or no ability to move seem to have less going on, neurologically speaking, than animals who can move.

 

[Clueless Git]

Plants know which way is up.

That is conclusive evidence that plants are more intelligent than bats.

 

[Tom L.]

 

[flyingsnail]

I do think plants could have a bit of conciousness, and intelligences....maybe on the level of a slug......cellular conciousness....there was a link that Indian Summer posted.....they said the tips of the roots had some intelligence.

Plants could be many things, but do we have currently any reason to believe that plants have anything akin to consciousness or intelligence? No. The issue here, I think, is that journalist don't really understand the science and rely on simple language to describe things.

We shouldn't deny ideas just because they uncomfortable.

No,we should deny them because there is no reason to believe them.

 

[Blobbenstein]

No,we should deny them because there is no reason to believe them.

Go ahead, and deny any idea you like.

 

[flyingsnail]

Go ahead, and deny any idea you like.

I'll just stick to denying the ones that are incoherent or lack evidence.

But this inappropriate use of knowledge underlines animal welfare/rights issues which I think was, more or less, the point of the article. So there is value, if you care about animal rights/welfare, in insisting on people using the correct language to describe these matters. Of course vegans often make the same sorts of mistakes when they talk about the "intelligence" of insects, "sentience" of animals that lack central nerves systems, etc.