The Significance of Play in Shaping Behavior and Morality in Animals

This chapter explores the impact of play on rats' development and neural networks, highlighting how play can lead to more sophisticated behaviors and stronger neural connections. The discussion also touches on how play in animals, such as dogs engaging in play fighting, can shape their moral behavior through communication and fairness. The concept of play as a preparation for real-life events, empathy as a foundation for moral behavior, and the potential link between playful behavior and ethicality in humans are also examined.