> The grandparent pointed out that the concept of 'being mean' can't easily be applied to animals. The complex cognition of 'being mean' might apply to an anim

> The grandparent pointed out that the concept of 'being mean' can't easily be applied to animals. The complex cognition of 'being mean' might apply to an animal, or it might not. I'm not arguing that. What I was trying to argue, was that complex cognitions aren't required for complex looking behaviour. In this case a maternal behaviour that already exists in the whale, to protect it's offspring, seems to have been transferred to a seal. I see no need for complex concepts or moral calculi to explain the whale's behaviour. You are of course correct that it fails at reducing harm down the line, but that's what makes it tragic, and interesting.