Practical Philosophy, Thursday

[endsthegame]

"We seem to have found ourselves in something of a peaceful patch," Ender said, sitting down on his blanket by the pond. "But for the speech of our closest pets."

He looked at his students. "I can't speak for other species, but humans have a habit of ignoring or misinterpreting the sentience of the non-human," he said. "Even though many studies show that even the animals we've grown up with are likely smarter than we think."

He tilted his head.

"What do you think?" he asked. "Do you have pets? Are they talking? Did it surprise you? If you don't have pets, why not? How do you see animals?"

Comments

Re: Talk.

[unusual_sith]

Lana frowned. "But they're the same thing. I wouldn't know what to do with a pet in those circumstances, so that's why I don't have one."

Re: Talk.

[endsthegame]

"But you're not in those circumstances," Ender noted. "If someone came to you and offered to lend you a pet, and take it back, no questions asked, when you graduated-- what would you do?"

Re: Talk.

[unusual_sith]

"I suppose that would depend upon the person and the pet," Lana said. "I wouldn't mind caring for something that would be fine going back to a good home after, but that's a lot of ifs."