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Aren't all 'feelings' just preservation mechanisms?

Posted by: Pajaro on March 25, 1999 at 11:07:11:

In Reply to: Plants don't have any feelings. posted by Björn on March 18, 1999 at 13:55:41:

When we "feel" pain, it is recognized by the body that whatever we did to cause that pain is destructive to our tissues. When we "feel" hungry, it is from a sense that the body requires nourishment at that time.
Put a plant in a dimly lit room with a solitary window to provide light for it. The plant will lean towards the direction of the light. One could provide the case that the plant "feels" undernourished and seeks an opportunity to photosynthize.
Remember our "feelings" are simply involuntary reactions because of nerve firings and chemical balances in our bodies. If plants had "feelings" of a somewhat different nature, how do you propose we could test for them?

Follow Ups:

So we're comparable to plants? Donna Cunningham England October 12 1999 (0)
so Donna England October 12 1999 (0)