Quote:
Originally Posted by sophiedufort
Let me ask this, please: what type of evidence is suitable for you? I am curious, mainly because I started this thread as a result of consistent snake behavior that I believe to be affectionate. I didn't start this thread just for the sake of the topic. My snakes, whom I handle daily, display signs of affection, and that's a fact. Also called evidence. I am not going to relist all the examples I provided in earlier posts. Only one of them, that is quite compelling. Missy, my Dumeril's boa, will not leave me or my husband. She loves kisses on the side of the head, and comes back for more, poking at my lips. She 'massages' my neck (I am sure you all know what I'm talking about) ONLY when I have migraines. Each and every time. She will only stop if I move her away. She will not do the massage when I feel well. Primitive or not, snakes' displays of affection are there. Not everybody notices or recognizes them. Some people have dozens of snakes throughout their life, and they just go through a care routine, day in, day out, without learning anything new from it, but still thinking that they know just about everything about snakes.
So, getting back to my question In what way the factual description of my snakes' behavior fails to constitute suitable evidence that snakes can show affection? Is it because I am not a scientist? I just don't get it.
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In short, I reject every bit of this as evidence. Because it isn't evidence. Your personal experiences do not equal science. All of those behaviors can be explained in ways that do not involve love and affection.
Science doesn't only set out to confirm a set of beliefs, it also conducts experiments to eliminate all other answers.
What would convince me is scientific evidence. Actual studies. Scientists rationally conducting experiments without the taint of their own emotion and wishes.
And again, WHY would a snake have evolved emotional affection? There is ZERO reason to believe that reptiles love. Personal experience is not evidence. There are people who sincerely believe, and will tell you, while in tears, that they were abducted by aliens and anally probed.
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