‘Meatheads Are Hijacking America (MAHA)’: Vegans feel betrayed by RFK Jr.’s beef boosting
‘Meatheads Are Hijacking America (MAHA)’: Vegans feel betrayed by RFK Jr.’s beef boosting
Kennedy’s choice to center animal products in American nutrition guidelines may mirror his own diet, but the changes were no doubt politically motivated. ‘I don’t think vegans fit into any administration,’ said Gary Yourofsky, a vegan and animal rights activist. Given veganism’s minority position in the culture and in politics, Yourofsky said he can’t be particularly fazed by the meat-heavy adjustments to national nutrition guidelines. ‘I didn’t find that to be offensive, he said of the changes. ‘I found it to be stupid’. CNN: The day after Robert F. Kennedy Jr., was sworn in as secretary of Health and Human […]
Animal Consciousness: Behavioral flexibility is ubiquitous
Animal Consciousness: Behavioral flexibility is ubiquitous
A large body of scientific evidence stemming from studies of diverse species clearly shows that many nonhuman animals are conscious sentient beings. Let’s stop bickering and pretending that we don’t know this or that about animal consciousness or intentional behavioral flexibility. There are far too many examples to conclude we are exceptional and the only truly conscious beings. While we persist in pondering the obvious, ignoring what we already know and have long known, countless nonhumans continue to be abused by humankind. MARC BEKOFF: Being conscious basically means being awake, aware, and able to perceive one’s thoughts, feelings, and surroundings. […]
STUDY: Tiny fish passed intelligence test that once distinguished great apes
STUDY: Tiny fish passed intelligence test that once distinguished great apes
A 2018 study reported that the ‘cleaner wrasse’ had passed the mirror mark test, but evolutionary psychologist Gordon Gallup believed the fish in these experiments were mistaking the marks on their own bodies for parasites on other fish. In this study, the fish were marked first, then the mirror was introduced for the first time. The fish were likely aware of something unusual on their body, but they couldn’t see it. When the mirror appeared, it immediately provided visual information that matched an existing bodily expectation, hence scraping occurred much faster. This implies self-awareness before being exposed to the […]
