Nollman Ch.4
By Michael Martinez (04/27/10 01:26:55)
1. I am not sure what Nollman means when he says, "we need new ecological metaphors." From what I gleaned from the chapter is that ecological metaphors are ways we understand how we collaborate animals. Like in his example of the bushmen and the lions. The ecological metaphor was that when lions are at water holes, the bushmen are not, and when bushmen are trying to sleep, the lions are "asked" not to roar.

2. Interspecies Protocol, is, I only guessing, what Nollman suggests should be our new ecological metaphor. In Interspecies Protocol we are to treat animals as equals or peers. In this mentality we treat animals like we do other people. We do not force anything on them but find ways in which we communicate and cohabitate.

3. Symbiosis is a physical co-dependency between to individuals, while interspecies protocol is a behavior based relationship, in which individuals treat each other as equals.

4. Interspecies Protocol might be seen as anthropomorphic because it focuses on recognizing actions of animals and associating them with behavioral messages or demeanor.

5. A Canadian Grizzly Bear might be fearful of humans, because it is normal for bears to be shot on sight if they get too close to humans. So all curious and social bears are eliminated leaving only the fearful and stealthy bears left.

6. When we view animals as individuals we see them in a more harmonious and cooperative light. When we view animals as representatives we neglect behavior, or character of the animal, and we are forced to observed and not interact.

7. Language plays a huge roll in Interspecies Protocol. Nollman talks about how we are trained very young to observe animals and what words not to use to describe them. This subtle training ends up creating a natural instinct to observe as oppose to participate or communicate.

8. Speciesism is the discrimination of other species. The discrimination is often about assigning certain characteristics to species.

9. I don't think there was ever a time where we lived harmoniously with other species. Because we are animals we are both prey and predator. At some point in our existence we have to hunt down other creatures to survive and at another we must run from other animals to survive. So while we may have lived more closely to other animals we did not do so entirely harmoniously.

10. We can incorporate "the other people" into "the councils of government" by thinking differently about animals and doing things to preserve them and their habitats.

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