What if plants had feelings?

[Lonewulf]

So what on earth (literally) am I allowed to eat?? Without it screaming it's angst at me? Dirt? No, I'd be wounding all the millions of little microbes. Plastic perhaps? Most life forms on this planet exist by eating some other life form, we're all fodder for something else.

Your point being...?

 

[Alex Libman]

The "animal rights" insanity sure can't compare to the "Anarcho-Capitalism" insanity.

There are just no similarities between them. AnCap is based on reason, while the animal rights movement is based on emotion. My political approach is gradualist, and my desire to withdraw from government would only affect me and those like me, while the animal nuts want to impose their will on society at large and as soon as they are able. AnCap seeks to maximize economic progress, while the animal rights nuts, through banning of medical experiments, would seek to lower the human life expectancy quite a bit... Etc.

If you are just trying to insult me, then your insult skills are lacking.

 

[arthwollipot]

This is the weirdest thing I've ever read in my life.

No, I've read weirder.

So if you want good pumpkins you need a vibrator? I dunno... touching and tussling seems effective enough to me.

True, but using a vibrator adds a certain...

...what were we talking about again?

 

[Lonewulf]

I think you guys want the sex thread.

If you are just trying to insult me, then your insult skills are lacking.

No, just being honest.

 

[I Ratant]

Not exactly "feelings", but certainly awareness of the environment.
These dandelions are in full blossom in the middle of the day, but begin to close as the sun goes down, fully closing when it's out of direct line-of-sight to the flowers.

 

[I Ratant]

The other plants were just relieved it was the other guy and not them.

.
Only in the view that there's less competition for whatever nutrition the plants compete for.
Some of the plants out here in the desert poison the surrounding soil so that nothing else can grow there.

 

[Autolite]

Feelings or not, certain plants should be killed off. NO MERCY FOR BRUSSELS SPROUTS!!!

 

[six7s]

NO MERCY FOR BRUSSELS SPROUTS!!!

Is that you, Grandma?

If not, pardon me... its just that she used to boil them for about 36 hours...

 

[Malkuth]

Plants do not feel pain. They do not have pain receptors, nerves or a central nervous system. The ‘screaming’ that sensitive equipment has detected when plants are damaged is thought to be caused by movement of gasses. The cut releases the pressure allowing gases inside the plant to move towards the cut, making a noise as they do so. And even if plants did feel pain, the average meat eater is responsible for ten times more plants being killed than the average vegetarian because all the animals that meat-eaters consume, eat huge amounts of plants themselves.

 

[Autolite]

What if science could demonstrably show that plants had the ability to experience pain? What would vegetarians and/or vegans do? Not being either I can't comment but if there are any vegetarians/vegans out there that have an opinion, I would be grateful for your input.

I think that I can live with the guilt of eating turnips after watching videos like this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOwrX2XKZLc

 

[Autolite]

Is that you, Grandma?

If not, pardon me... its just that she used to boil them for about 36 hours...

It's just that you can't be too cruel when it comes to Brussels Sprouts! They are the most vile natural abomination on earth and must be eradicated! And don't try and tell me that they're good with melted cheese or lots of butter. NOBODY likes Brussels Sprouts, and those that claim they do are LYING!!!

 

[I Ratant]

...
NOBODY likes Brussels Sprouts, and those that claim they do are LYING!!!

.
Wrong. Not only wrong, but damnably wrong! Egregiously and poltroonishly wrong!
So wrong that wrong isn't even the proper word for it!
When I could afford the aforedisrespected delicious veggie, I'd buy a box AND others to supplement, not hide, the delight one receives in the consumption thereof!

 

[Elizabeth I]

It's just that you can't be too cruel when it comes to Brussels Sprouts! They are the most vile natural abomination on earth and must be eradicated! And don't try and tell me that they're good with melted cheese or lots of butter. NOBODY likes Brussels Sprouts, and those that claim they do are LYING!!!

.
Wrong. Not only wrong, but damnably wrong! Egregiously and poltroonishly wrong!
So wrong that wrong isn't even the proper word for it!
When I could afford the aforedisrespected delicious veggie, I'd buy a box AND others to supplement, not hide, the delight one receives in the consumption thereof!

Really fresh Brussels sprouts, steamed, with a drizzle of melted butter...
mm!

Also good with catsup.

 

[Malkuth]

I like brussel sprouts too.

Not too keen on the turnip tho.

 

[Autolite]

.
Wrong. Not only wrong, but damnably wrong! Egregiously and poltroonishly wrong!
So wrong that wrong isn't even the proper word for it!
When I could afford the aforedisrespected delicious veggie, I'd buy a box AND others to supplement, not hide, the delight one receives in the consumption thereof!

Let me guess. You're probably also quite keen on broccoli too aren't you???

 

[six7s]

Let me guess. You're probably also quite keen on broccoli too aren't you???

Eleventy Hell! You are my grandmother, aren't you?!?11?!?11?!?

 

[JoeTheJuggler]

Not exactly "feelings", but certainly awareness of the environment.
These dandelions are in full blossom in the middle of the day, but begin to close as the sun goes down, fully closing when it's out of direct line-of-sight to the flowers.

And some types of crystals grow in certain orientation to the environment (gravity and the Earth's electromagnetic field, for examples).

The leap you're making is to the claim of "awareness". Dandelions need not be aware any more than rocks need to be aware.

ETA: I wish the example you had used was of sunflowers or other plants that turn to "face" the sun. I would then point out that passive solar panel tracking mounts are no more "aware".

 

[I Ratant]

Let me guess. You're probably also quite keen on broccoli too aren't you???

.
You know me so well!
Have we met?
Asparagus is another green favorite!

 

[I Ratant]

And some types of crystals grow in certain orientation to the environment (gravity and the Earth's electromagnetic field, for examples).

The leap you're making is to the claim of "awareness". Dandelions need not be aware any more than rocks need to be aware.

ETA: I wish the example you had used was of sunflowers or other plants that turn to "face" the sun. I would then point out that passive solar panel tracking mounts are no more "aware".

.
I wouldn't say "awareness" as we might interpret, a conscious decision, but these little guys and sunflowers do respond to the presence of light, and the direction it impinges on them.
Sci Am had an article on how the sunflowers manipulate their stems during the daytime.
These dandelions don't rotate with the sun as it moves across the sky, but their exposure to it is limited by the housing in the area, while the sunflowers out back in the desert obviously track the sun during the day with their unrestricted "view" of it.
Rocks, they are even close to being alive, so nothing should be expected from them, environmentally, except those that might crack when "experiencing" extreme cold.

 

[Pendelton]

Extrapolation on "Do Plants Have Feelings?"

Forget this nonsense of plants having feelings or if Vegans tremble at the thought of eating "plants that feel."

I propose a solution to 1) world population, world hunger, world strife, ect.

2) global warming

3) insert your choice here. . .

However repugnant my idea may seem, ponder the actual possibilities of a successful campaign.

Cannibalization as a means to "reduce" the contemporary problems facing the World today.

The only problem, as I see it, would be trying to find "healthy food"

Having driven past more 'golden arches' than I care to count, some of their customers seem to have an agenda of prepping for a distaster of some kind by "storing " excess energy as body fat.

Of course there is always an Organic/Health store to stalk for a tasty morsel.

I await your replies. . .