Guest guest Posted April 7, 2000 Report Share Posted April 7, 2000 Maureen & Dale Smith wrote: > Andy, I'm starting to wonder if it's true about plants feeling pain. So, > where would that leave us, being fruitarians? It might be something to look > into. Considering fruits and nuts would not have to be harvested or even > killed like soybeans after harvest of the pods, etc... I think you have a > really valid point there. Wonder if there's a fruitarian website or email > or newsgroup worth looking at. Please let me know if you find anything. > I've avoided this because then, vegies would be a problem. Although the > green bean is considered a fruit, I hear. > Maureen I think that it's very unlikely that plants feel pain. The primary reason for this believe is because the pain response serves a purpose. That purpose is to allow avoidance of the situation that causes pain. In animals the pain response causes flight away from the source of pain (noxious stimuli); it is solely a defensive mechanism. Unfortunately, plants do not have the ability to avoid pain, (i.e. move away) so a pain response would not serve a purpose and would not have been selected for in plants. Research in plant anatomy has never demonstrated anything closely resembling a nervous system, no nerves, no pain receptors. Anyone who wants to claim that plants feel pain has the onus of proof. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof. dennis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.