> but starvation and the constant threat of being killed or dying slowly of a toothache is surely not a 'happy' life. But how do you know if a duck is thinking

> but starvation and the constant threat of being killed or dying slowly of a toothache is surely not a 'happy' life. But how do you know if a duck is thinking about this? This reasoning only makes sense from a perspective of a 21st century homo sapiens. I think that happiness is relative; I don't believe a duck contemplates how live would be not thinking about where to get the next bite of food. The same way that people 200 years ago led happy lives. However, a person that lives today but only has access to technology and medicine, while still knowing and seeing that the others have access to today's technology and medicine, would be super unhappy.