Happiness

[PickelledEggs]

I understand the benefit of other people, not other specimen

Ok then same thing, different animal.

Substitute person with deer.

You have a deer. Its in the woods all alone. A hungry predator is too.

or

You have a deer in a group of other deer with a hungry predator.

Which deer has a better chance of survival? and why?
Substitute it all you want with other animals, the result will be the same.

[La Dolce Vita]

Well, we used to be the same species as their ancestors, in fact, our ancestors are their ancestors. We are related to every living being on this planet. ;)

It's largely a byproduct however. As I explained, empathy does no necessitate a definitive off-switch. The benefits for caring about humans used to be because you lived in small communities, and that if you helped them, they'd help you - but the impulse that was created was "care for humans". This causes us to care for people all around the world, including people who could never help us back. The impulse has no off-switch - at least not currently - and I hope it won't come.

Similarly "care about suffering" can be extended to different species, because we can recognize the same pain in them. Did you read my post about how we personify animals? I can expand upon it. Part of the scientific reason why we like cats for instance is that they to a certain degree looks like our human babies with their big heads and small bodies. We humans tend to adore animals that have these similarities to us, and that we can recognize part of ourselves in. While we love cats, dogs, rabbits, etc. we rarely love rats and cockroaches. Of course, this also has an evolutionary advantage as rats and bugs could carry diseases.

[Contemporary Protestant]

Thanks la dolce vita, is that Italian or Spanish? I know your user name means the sweet life but I'm not sure what language it is

[La Dolce Vita]

It's Italian. I'm Norwegian however. La Dolce Vita from 1960, by Federico Fellini, is one of my favorite movies.

[Contemporary Protestant]

Cool

[Mermaid]

I understand the benefit of other people, not other specimen

Did you Google "symbiosis"?

[Contemporary Protestant]

Yea symbiosis is when two animals work together for bettering both parties, and it's makes more sense but I still have questions

Are humans uniquely symbiotic? Or are other animals as social as we are, and when did this exceptional symbiotic behavior begin, at the Neanderthals? Homo erectus? Or does it go back to cellular biology

[Mermaid]

I do not understand the question "are humans uniquely symbiotic".
Do you mean are we the only species with relationships that affect one, some or all species involved? Most definitely not. Species interaction that benefits one or both parties is ubiquitous. These are commensal, mutualistic or parasitic relationships and they are found everywhere. Ants and aphids, parasites and anything they parasitize, and even the different single-celled organisms in biofilms and rhizobia.

[Contemporary Protestant]

I mean our species is very interactive with others, does another species interact with others the way humans do?

[Mermaid]

Yes. That is what I just wrote about.

[stromboli]

Interaction with other species was done because it proved to be mutually advantageous. Feeding wolves that became tame made the switch their loyalty to humans and become protective towards them. Horses gave men advantages over men on foot. People receive nurturing from animals. My wife with MS has a caregiver Rat Terrier that is her constant companion. Ain't that hard to understand.

[GSOgymrat]

Do people deserve "happiness", and can such a thing be defined or obtained?

"Deserve happiness"? That's an interesting choice of words. I don't consider happiness something that is merited. Do people deserve sadness?

[Contemporary Protestant]

Well in high schools people prance about like they deserve the world on a silver platter, and I often question why anyone would think they deserve anything at all

[DunkleSeele]

Well in high schools people prance about like they deserve the world on a silver platter, and I often question why anyone would think they deserve anything at all

Ah, but deserving happiness isn't necessarily the same as "deserving the world on a silver platter". Personally I feel happier when I get something through work and commitment than when I just get it on a silver platter.

Do we deserve happiness? I'd say we all deserve the right to pursue it, as long as our happiness doesn't infringe on someone else's. Whether you or me or anyone else will be able to achieve it is a completely different matter.

[Contemporary Protestant]

Wise words sir