Can lobsters scream

I'm not buying the "not feel any pain" line one bit.
Even the parameciums (tiny flatworms that live in ponds) can feel pain. They did an experiment where they had one and jabbed it with a pin at the same time they shone a bright light on it and it learned to flinch whenever the bright light hit it. If there was no pain, then why the flinch? Furthermore, even specimens grafted off of that individual exhibited the same behavior.

I've been fishing enough to know that whenever you impale an earthworm with a hook, assuming it is mostly alive, it will react violently and usually excrete the protective mucus from it's body. Surely a lobster has a higher functioning brain than an earthworm.

reply to post by sykickvision

Even the parameciums (tiny flatworms that live in ponds) can feel pain. They did an experiment where they had one and jabbed it with a pin at the same time they shone a bright light on it and it learned to flinch whenever the bright light hit it.

This experiment does not prove that the paramecium felt pain. It shows that they respond to light and can associate that stimulus with another (the pin).

If there was no pain, then why the flinch?

Animals respond to stimuli which (in humans) do not cause pain. Have you ever seen a horse or cow use twitches of the muscles on their backs to make flies get off of their bodies? They do this in response to a stimulus. Do you think the horse is in pain when a fly lands on it? ( spare me the biting fly, they respond to the fly's legs touching their body).

I am not denying that some animals may feel pain, it is just a very difficult thing to prove.

reply to post by Nightchild


reply to post by Aeons


Pretty much. Even trees feel pain or at least... what Aeons said, but for plants in this instance . I'm almost sure poor things would appreciate if you'd rather not boil them alive. Same goes for farm animals.

Although, I doubt that complexity of animal's feelings and nervous system would affect lobster/meat lovers' compassion towards their meal in any way. On the other hand, insects, arachnids and such (lobster's cousins) naturally die in most gruesome ways imaginable so maybe we're still not yet as "creative" as we think...