The behavioural cue of ‘flexible self-protection’ is a way to establish whether an animal feels pain, scientists say

Crickets that received the hot probe “overwhelmingly” directed their attention to the affected antenna – they groomed it more frequently, and tended to it over a longer period of time, he says. “They weren’t just agitated and flustered. They were directing their attention to the actual antennae that was hit with this hot probe.”

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[–] thedeadwalking4242@lemmy.world 14 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I really don't get the idea that people don't think animals or bugs feel pain or distress.

Like if it's got a nervous system I'm sure it has some concept of pain.

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 6 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Many insects don't have a nervous system. Also, some plants respond to physical damage (albeit very differently than an animal) and they don't have nervous systems, either.

It would also be possible to build a machine that can detect damage to itself and program it for self preservation, but that doesn't intrinsically mean it would feel pain.

[–] blurec@thelemmy.club 3 points 1 month ago

What insect doesn't have a nervous system?