Spiritual Connections and Emotional Complexity

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Exploring the influence of pets on familial dynamics and the emotional complexities surrounding beliefs in signs from deceased pets. Additionally, delving into the exceptions a rationalist atheist may make in their worldview for spiritual connections with pets, with anecdotes highlighting guilt, loyalty, and the comedic aspects of challenging conversations.

David and Tamler talk about Caitrin Keiper’s wonderful sprawling essay on elephant life and society and the many philosophical questions surrounding these extraordinary creatures. What kind of mental states can we attribute to them? Do they have a kind of language? Are they moral? What are our moral duties to them? What accounts for the long-standing taboo against ‘anthropomorphizing’ elephants and other complex non-human animals? And lots more.

Plus, a new segment “there should be a German word for this” - we come up with new German words for common phenomena or experiences. And a big announcement in the promo segment about the podcast going forward.

Please consider supporting a long-time listener’s attempt to get their family out of Gaza.[gofundme.com]

Links:

Do Elephants Have Souls? by Caitrin Keiper [thenewatlantis.com]