> We should start from the default assumption that other animals have a lived experience not unlike our own until proven otherwise. That probably is the better

> We should start from the default assumption that other animals have a lived experience not unlike our own until proven otherwise. That probably is the better prior for muggles these days, yeah. Of course, scientifically speaking, you still shouldn't anthropomorphize upfront, or you might actually miss a lot! Different creatures aren't entirely exactly the same as us. They can <see> and <do> things we can't , and vice versa. So even just from that their lived reality will diverge from ours, and that's where all the interesting science is hiding. That said, while you shouldn't necessarily anthropomorphize upfront; if there's later proven to be a behavioral overlap, then proven is proven, and you don't get to reject it afterwards. (People often get this one wrong.)