SageAgainstTheMachine Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/336819/title/He’s_no_rat%2C_he’s_my_brother Not too surprising given they're social animals, but still pretty neat stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Poojer Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Who cares Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Hindsight Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Who cares I do find this interesting. But thats funny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Who cares You're no rat.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/336819/title/He’s_no_rat%2C_he’s_my_brother Not too surprising given they're social animals, but still pretty neat stuff. Wow...that's pretty interesting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Poojer Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 The Rat. You're no rat.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryPinC Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Emapathy? I love when scientists go over the top in interpreting their data. It doesn't take a huge stretch of the imagination to realize that a highly social rat placed in a foreign (thus stressful) environment would seek out one of its own. This was the clincher for me: "To push the limits of the rats’ goodwill, Bartal and her team pitted a trapped rat against trapped chocolate, forcing a rat to choose which one to release. “These rats adore their chocolate,” she says. The results astonished Bartal: The rats were equally likely to free a rat in distress as they were to free the sweets. To a rat, a fellow rodent’s freedom was just as sweet as five chocolate chips." So said rat is equally likely to choose chocolate chips over freeing his trapped buddy. Nice empathy. Astonishing what gets funded sometimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Who cares The definitive answer is "Who gives a rat's ass?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted January 23, 2012 Author Share Posted January 23, 2012 Emapathy? I love when scientists go over the top in interpreting their data. It doesn't take a huge stretch of the imagination to realize that a highly social rat placed in a foreign (thus stressful) environment would seek out one of its own. This was the clincher for me: "To push the limits of the rats’ goodwill, Bartal and her team pitted a trapped rat against trapped chocolate, forcing a rat to choose which one to release. “These rats adore their chocolate,” she says. The results astonished Bartal: The rats were equally likely to free a rat in distress as they were to free the sweets. To a rat, a fellow rodent’s freedom was just as sweet as five chocolate chips." So said rat is equally likely to choose chocolate chips over freeing his trapped buddy. Nice empathy. Astonishing what gets funded sometimes. I had the same thoughts. I was more impressed that the rats could actually figure out the release mechanism. I assumed that level of sentience was beyond them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Emapathy? I love when scientists go over the top in interpreting their data. It doesn't take a huge stretch of the imagination to realize that a highly social rat placed in a foreign (thus stressful) environment would seek out one of its own. This was the clincher for me: "To push the limits of the rats’ goodwill, Bartal and her team pitted a trapped rat against trapped chocolate, forcing a rat to choose which one to release. “These rats adore their chocolate,” she says. The results astonished Bartal: The rats were equally likely to free a rat in distress as they were to free the sweets. To a rat, a fellow rodent’s freedom was just as sweet as five chocolate chips." So said rat is equally likely to choose chocolate chips over freeing his trapped buddy. Nice empathy. Astonishing what gets funded sometimes. Maybe the rat was hoping to get laid. Chocolate is good, but not that good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ieatcrayonz Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Maybe the rat was hoping to get laid. Chocolate is good, but not that good. When you're sitting around thinking about whether a rodent has empathy, think of just one word.............. SAMMY. Remember the time you were trapped under the pool table retrieving the 4 ball and instead of releasing you Sammy peed on you and laughed for an hour? And that thing he did with the pool cue was simply uncalled for. Empathy. Yeah right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted January 23, 2012 Author Share Posted January 23, 2012 When you're sitting around thinking about whether a rodent has empathy, think of just one word.............. SAMMY. Remember the time you were trapped under the pool table retrieving the 4 ball and instead of releasing you Sammy peed on you and laughed for an hour? And that thing he did with the pool cue was simply uncalled for. Empathy. Yeah right. Sounds like Sammy in particular might have antisocial personality disorder. I would think you'd know better than to paint rodents with a broad brush. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Sounds like Sammy in particular might have antisocial personality disorder. I would think you'd know better than to paint rodents with a broad brush. You can't paint Sammy with any brush, that little gerbil is really fast. Last time I used a paint sprayer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Emapathy? I love when scientists go over the top in interpreting their data. It doesn't take a huge stretch of the imagination to realize that a highly social rat placed in a foreign (thus stressful) environment would seek out one of its own. This was the clincher for me: "To push the limits of the rats’ goodwill, Bartal and her team pitted a trapped rat against trapped chocolate, forcing a rat to choose which one to release. “These rats adore their chocolate,” she says. The results astonished Bartal: The rats were equally likely to free a rat in distress as they were to free the sweets. To a rat, a fellow rodent’s freedom was just as sweet as five chocolate chips." So said rat is equally likely to choose chocolate chips over freeing his trapped buddy. Nice empathy. Astonishing what gets funded sometimes. Clearly you lack empathy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryPinC Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Maybe the rat was hoping to get laid. Chocolate is good, but not that good. And considering both animals were most likely the same sex (male) you think they would have focussed their paper on this facet. Seems just as likely as empathy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ieatcrayonz Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 (edited) Maybe the rat was hoping to get laid. Chocolate is good, but not that good. There is a movie which is mostly an action flick but for a few minutes it is a documentary. It is call "Bad Boys II" and it goes into the mindset of rats and how they just want to get laid. Martin Lawrence is the field reporter and Will Smith keeps the stats. Edited January 23, 2012 by ieatcrayonz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryPinC Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Clearly you lack empathy. Awww c'mon. I truly sympathize with these researchers who so much want their data to fit the hypothesis. I'm rooting for them I tell you, I'm rooting for them. There's got to be some empathy there right? I had the same thoughts. I was more impressed that the rats could actually figure out the release mechanism. I assumed that level of sentience was beyond them. Rats are very bright and socializable. You're right in that it is very impressive given their size and place on the evolutionnary tree. They'd make great pets for people that aren't turned off by their image. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Awww c'mon. I truly sympathize with these researchers who so much want their data to fit the hypothesis. I'm rooting for them I tell you, I'm rooting for them. There's got to be some empathy there right? I went to school at Emory, so trust me, I know exactly how weird the rat and monkey labs can be over there. One of their main focuses of the last decade or so has been the pansexual behavior of a particular species of ape. Good times! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I went to school at Emory, so trust me, I know exactly how weird the rat and monkey labs can be over there. One of their main focuses of the last decade or so has been the pansexual behavior of a particular species of ape. Good times! Sex with a pan? A picnic table I can understand, especially when the table cloth is ruffled by the breeze giving you a hint of upper leg, but a pan? That's just crazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Sex with a pan? A picnic table I can understand, especially when the table cloth is ruffled by the breeze giving you a hint of upper leg, but a pan? That's just crazy. I know, right? It's just absurd! To think I tried to volunteer to take part in such nonsense...not my proudest moment! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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