End of Week 2

We have read many TIME articles this week regarding animal research on how they act and how they are more superior than we believe. Although there are also very much scientists that do not believe animals have feelings and have their own smarts. To me it is great to see both perspectives since each scientific topic has some skeptics. When it comes to my own opinions developing I firmly believe with the scientist who research that animals have their own way of living such as we humans do. As for when I think of all the dogs I have owned and a parrot I have owned I do believe that they have souls and are capable of communicating with us in their own specific way. They are just as empathetic and intelligent as we could be as well and have always thought that.

When I say that animals have their own way of speaking would be their form of communicated for example when Jeffrey Kluger states, "Of all animals, there may be none so creatively expressive as dolphins, with their whistles, chirps and clicks, many of them audible to us, and their sonar signals, which we can't hear at all" (78). This is a great example showing the capability animals have in communicating their own way. Just because we cannot understand them doesn't mean they aren't intelligent. Just as we cannot understand their chirping to hear their sonar signals, so does that mean we are small brained beasts? Jeffrey Kluger also stated, "A dead crow laying lying in the open will quickly attract two or three other crows" (53). Here we have a demonstration of them knowing when one of their companions has fallen. They begin to mourn and although we don't mourn exactly like them they do mourn.

After reading the prologue to Safina's book I got the understanding of the artificial barrier between animals and humans. A part that made me begin to think deeply was when Safina began to talk about his trip on the cruise and seeing the dolphins and wanting to not see the dolphin as an animal, but as one of him because as he says we are animals as well. He as well began talking about elephants from a book he was reading while being on the cruise while seeing the dolphins that were passing by. He wanted to appreciate the dolphins and really study them From what I’ve read this book will take us on a deeper understanding of what exactly it is to be seen as an animal as well in this world. Setting back the superior that we humans see ourselves set apart from the animals. In this book we will be learning what makes our animals so special and even the ones we have in our home. I really can’t wait to read this book to get a more understanding for my research on animal science and how it can improve my way of thinking or possibly even challenge what I already believe I know.