Animal Empathy

What We Can Learn From Other Species: Part 1

The British popular-science magazine New Scientist summarizes new research on animal empathy this way: “Rats will help others in distress, but they can be influenced not to.”

Sounds familiar.

Researchers observed that altruistic behavior appeared to come naturally for these rats, who helped others when they were in distress. That, at least to me, is intrinsically beautiful. It is also a signpost, pointing the way toward the best of ourselves, which can be found in the natural world of which we are a part.

Empathy and compassion appear to be an integral part of the natural order. That only changed under highly un-natural circumstances, like those created by the experiment.

We will keep tracking studies about animal empathy. For now, we offer this purely as something to ponder. Or, as Rod Serling and Hollywood Oscar aspirants have both been known to say, “submitted for your consideration.”