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Species "superiority" seems like a quaint concept these days. Would have
been so in my student days at Dal back in the '70's, as well!
From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca]
On Behalf Of David Webster
Sent: January 2, 2020 6:06 PM
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Nature Ballet
Hi John & All,
Your Prof. clearly had never watched watched a family of Otters doing a
scamper up brook, scamper down brook and slide down bank routine.
In the 50's it was fashionable to prove that animals do not think but
simply respond by reflex to stimuli. And the stimuli were such that thought
was not required and all, with a carefully replicated trial and a straight
face, proved the point beyond doubt.
I got chewed out by an undergrad Biology Prof. when I turned an exam
question around; the question being, explain how Deciduous trees are
superior to Coniferous trees. So I said in effect --the largest trees are
conifers, the oldest trees are conifers and conifers can survive in
sub-arctic and alpine conditions where deciduous can not or are prostrate
shrubs. Therefore Conifers are superior. He was quite upset and said in
effect-- If you ever pull that kind of trick in Graduate School they will
run you through a meat grinder--
DW, Kentville
1/2/2020 5:12 PM, John Kearney wrote:
Hi Paul,
As an undergraduate student in biology, a professor once gently reprimanded
me for saying that sometimes animals do things just for fun. I was being
anthropomorphic, he said, that is, attributing human traits to animals. Many
years later, I still think that animals do things just to have fun; to play,
be mischievous, enjoy the weather. Science is perhaps beginning to shift
away a bit from a strict adherence to the survival of the fittest way of
thinking. There have been some interesting and credible papers published
about birds making choices for the sake of sheer beauty, decisions that are
independent of achieving reproductive success. Your musical backgrounds to
the videos give life to the notion that the nature ballet speaks of an
intrinsic artistic dimension to the natural world.
John
From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca On Behalf Of Paul Ruggles
Sent: Thursday, January 02, 2020 13:55
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: [NatureNS] Nature Ballet
Hi all.
Have an amazing video of a squirrel and Barred Owl.
Has anyone ever seen anything like this??
Paul.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN9vPZWRq8auD66f8rfEKeQ
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body bgcolor=3Dwhite =
lang=3DEN-CA link=3Dblue vlink=3Dpurple><div class=3DWordSection1><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><span style=3D'color:#1F497D'>Species =
“superiority” seems like a quaint concept these days. =
Would have been so in my student days at Dal back in the =
‘70’s, as well!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div =
style=3D'border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm =
0cm 0cm'><p class=3DMsoNormal><b><span lang=3DEN-US =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:windowt=
ext'>From:</span></b><span lang=3DEN-US =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:windowt=
ext'> naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca =
[mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] <b>On Behalf Of </b>David =
Webster<br><b>Sent:</b> January 2, 2020 6:06 PM<br><b>To:</b> =
naturens@chebucto.ns.ca<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [NatureNS] Nature =
Ballet<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p>Hi John & =
All,<o:p></o:p></p><p> Your Prof. clearly had never =
watched watched a family of Otters doing a scamper up brook, scamper =
down brook and slide down bank routine. =
<o:p></o:p></p><p> In the 50's it was fashionable to =
prove that animals do not think but simply respond by reflex to stimuli. =
And the stimuli were such that thought was not required and all, with a =
carefully replicated trial and a straight face, proved the point beyond =
doubt.<o:p></o:p></p><p> I got chewed out by an =
undergrad Biology Prof. when I turned an exam question around; the =
question being, explain how Deciduous trees are superior to Coniferous =
trees. So I said in effect --the largest trees are conifers, the oldest =
trees are conifers and conifers can survive in sub-arctic and alpine =
conditions where deciduous can not or are prostrate shrubs. Therefore =
Conifers are superior. He was quite upset and said in effect-- If you =
ever pull that kind of trick in Graduate School they will run you =
through a meat grinder-- <o:p></o:p></p><p>DW, =
Kentville<o:p></o:p></p><p>1/2/2020 5:12 PM, John Kearney =
wrote:<o:p></o:p></p><p> <o:p></o:p></p><blockquote =
style=3D'margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>Hi =
Paul,</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>As an =
undergraduate student in biology, a professor once gently reprimanded me =
for saying that sometimes animals do things just for fun. I was being =
anthropomorphic, he said, that is, attributing human traits to animals. =
Many years later, I still think that animals do things just to have fun; =
to play, be mischievous, enjoy the weather. Science is perhaps beginning =
to shift away a bit from a strict adherence to the survival of the =
fittest way of thinking. There have been some interesting and credible =
papers published about birds making choices for the sake of sheer =
beauty, decisions that are independent of achieving reproductive =
success. Your musical backgrounds to the videos give life to the notion =
that the nature ballet speaks of an intrinsic artistic dimension to the =
natural world.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>John</span><o:p></o=
:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'> </span><o:p><=
/o:p></p><div><div style=3D'border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 =
1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=3DMsoNormal><b><span =
lang=3DEN-US>From:</span></b><span lang=3DEN-US> <a =
href=3D"mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.=
ca</a> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Paul Ruggles<br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, =
January 02, 2020 13:55<br><b>To:</b> <a =
href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</a><br><b=
>Subject:</b> [NatureNS] Nature =
Ballet</span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal>Hi =
all.<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=3DMsoNormal>Have an amazing video of a =
squirrel and Barred Owl.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>Has anyone ever seen anything like =
this??<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>Paul.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><a =
href=3D"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN9vPZWRq8auD66f8rfEKeQ">https:/=
/www.youtube.com/channel/UCN9vPZWRq8auD66f8rfEKeQ</a><o:p></o:p></p></div=
></blockquote></div></body></html>
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