What about the dog that climbs the fence after its owner gets in the car and drives off, runs around the neighborhood getting into the neighbors yards, chasing their cats, tearing up garbage sacks, ect., but is smart enough to run home and be back in the fenced yard before the owner pulls back into the driveway?
What about the dog who has been housebroken, but becomes lazy and starts sneaking behind the furniture to poop? Or the one that is outside all day, then waits to relieves herself on the couch knowing she'll be in trouble?
What about male dogs who take on a maternal role of caring for ducklings or kittens?
What about the cat who awakens her owners during the night to alert them to a fire?
The cat who stopped a shoplifter?
http://www.penmarric.ns.ca/cattails/cs-Guard.htm
The horse who stood still while being stung by bees because her owner asked her to? http://www.truehorsestories.com/stories/courage/still.html
You believe they aren't exercising free will?
2006-09-07 06:58:56 · 17 answers · asked by February Rain 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I think that animals have free will to some extent, they're capable of making choices and that's what free will is all about. Maybe some animals do and some don't, I don't know, that's up for speculation, I guess. Regardless of animals having free will and intelligence or not (for the stubborn people who insist that they don't, despite all the evidence that says otherwise), they do suffer and have feelings and they do deserve respect.
2006-09-07 07:11:00 · answer #1 · answered by Ricardo P 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I know that they have free will. My oldest cat pouts, meows (talks) back and generally asserts herself around the house. She knows that she is not supposed to do certain things and then does them anyway.
I have also had a dog who knew what not to do at home and would display guilty behavior when he did something that he considered bad before the "bad" thing was discovered.
Animals have free will - not quite like we do but they have it nonetheless.
2006-09-07 14:09:43 · answer #2 · answered by Susan G 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Nonsense
2006-09-07 14:02:00 · answer #3 · answered by Preacher 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What has these instances have to do with free will? Theologically free will is tied up with MAN's choice of life or death:
Let heaven and earth be my witnesses against you this day that I have put before you life and death, a blessing and a curse: so take life for yourselves and for your seed:
Deuteronomy 30:19
An animal cannot comprehend the concepts of life and death, at least spiritually.
2006-09-07 14:09:59 · answer #4 · answered by Jay Z 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Animals may have "free will," but they do not make moral choices. They mostly follow instinct in the wild, and learned behavior.
Potty habits of animals can change in response to health or environmental issues. Remember, they use their fesces and urine as markers of territory.
As Pavlov's experiments showed, conditioning can be used to modify even physiological responses to unrelated stimuli.
2006-09-07 14:05:52 · answer #5 · answered by jbtascam 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Animals do have free will - the major difference between us and other animals is that they don't have language to protest the way we treat them. Our assumptions of superiority are really just prejudice to justify our treatment of the rest of nature
2006-09-07 14:03:00 · answer #6 · answered by bregweidd 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
All lifeforms are perfectly free to act according to their respective natures.
No animal acts beneath their nature. Humans frequently do so.
Human nature is superior to that of animals. So is their free will.
But animals still have their own form of freedom of will.
And if my precious babies aren't going to be part of the new heaven and the new earth promised, I AIN'T GOIN"!
2006-09-07 14:08:30 · answer #7 · answered by Granny Annie 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The difference between man and animal is that man was created in God's image. The Bible doesn't say that animals don't have souls.
2006-09-07 14:01:41 · answer #8 · answered by p2of9 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Animals have free will... but they are not self aware.
They cannot foresee the future and make plans accordingly. They do not reason on facts or abstacts. Animals live in the moment.
2006-09-07 14:04:32 · answer #9 · answered by zero 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
So you say animals don't have free will and humans do?
They run wild some times. Yes-True.
2006-09-07 14:03:55 · answer #10 · answered by whynotaskdon 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋