Pet Chimpanzee Shot After Mauling US Woman

reply to post by TravelerintheDark


I beg to differ, self awareness has nothing to do with emotions or recognizing yourself. It is the quest of the soul.

Do I have a soul?

Is there an afterlife?

What is my purpose of being?

What the hell is the purpose of all this pain?

The big one. Is there a God and if God exists then why?

This is self-awareness.

It is a tragic story all the way around.

But the officer charged with murder? no.

Consider the circumstances - The chimp snapped and mauled the woman horribly.

Then it ripped the side mirror off the cop car and opened the door - trapping the cop.

At this point the officer had a very real reason to fear for his safety and life given its actions. He was within his rights to shoot regardless of if it was a chimp or person attacking him at this point.

Given the circumstances the officer was within his rights and likely saved himself and others from further harm given that it had "snapped".

This kind of reminds me of a Science Fiction episode....maybe the new "Outer Limits" (I am steering away from the Planet of the Apes franchise) where a child is deformed, but still considered Human....blah, blah, blah.

Look, killing an ape who is intent on killing you, or killing a Human who is intent on killing you, is self-defence.

Can't be more cut-and-dried!!!

reply to post by LoneGunMan


To me those are questions of the potential of self, something I would see as falling naturally after a being is aware of its existence as an individual. Because, as I see it, the individual must first recognize itself before wondering where that self fits in with a grander scheme. And even then by first associating itself in a role within its immediate group and surroundings.

But, I will say, the truth is at this point no one can really prove or disprove self-awareness. I was, in my way, attempting to expand the concept to a different set of criteria. The only standard of testing now is construed by the only species that claims self-awareness. The others are talking yet.