Hear This Idea cover image

Hear This Idea

#81 – Cynthia Schuck on Quantifying Animal Welfare

Nov 21, 2024
Dr. Cynthia Schuck-Paim, Scientific Director of the Welfare Footprint Project, dives into the intricate world of animal welfare. She discusses surprising questions like whether all animals feel pain, and how various species perceive time differently. Cynthia compares the welfare of fish farming with that of poultry, revealing the complexities of animal suffering. Additionally, she highlights the importance of positive experiences in enhancing the lives of farmed animals and advocates for transparency and innovative metrics to improve welfare practices.
01:37:16

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Quantifying animal welfare through the Welfare Footprint Project aims to create a standardized metric for cross-species welfare comparisons.
  • The relationship between cognition and emotional experiences in animals reveals that low cognitive capacity does not preclude the ability to feel pain.

Deep dives

Cognitive and Hedonic Capacity in Animals

The relationship between cognitive capacity and hedonic capacity in animals is not straightforward; it is not necessarily linear. Animals with low cognitive capacity can still learn to experience and respond to good or bad sensations. There was a significant increase in hedonic capacity early in evolutionary history, suggesting that feelings were initially adaptive for survival. As cognition evolved, it primarily served to aid in decision-making regarding these sensations rather than intensifying them.

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode