[lbo-talk] Mirror neurons

[Miles Jackson]

Chris Doss wrote:
> If these mirror neurons are supposed to enable both
> language and empathy, then why do many animals,
> lacking language, exhibit apparent empathy?

Empathy is the ability to understand what another entity is thinking 
and feeling.  I've never come across a nonhuman animal that 
demonstrates this ability (and frankly, many humans don't demonstrate 
it either!).  In fact, I'm not sure what would count as empathy in an 
organism that I can't talk to.  How could we determine what a chicken 
or a dog thinks about what one of its peers is thinking and feeling?

Miles