sorry, what? The claim that "parents/family/emotion" are constructs which are limited to (higher) mammals rests on the assumption that these constructs are depe

sorry, what? The claim that "parents/family/emotion" are constructs which are limited to (higher) mammals rests on the assumption that these constructs are dependent on i.e. a highly developed cerebral cortex-- and that somehow the cortex is the seat of emotions. Given that neurotransmitters (adrenaline?) are so instrumental to regulating emotional state, that claim seems highly unlikely. The most plausible possibility is that all multi-celled beings have some sense of family and parenthood. And here with the spiders you are presented with evidence of such. Does a mother spider feel distress with quite the same level of nuance as a mother human? Perhaps not. Is she clearly distressed? absolutely.