Animal Grief and the Problem of Evil

[lilpixieofterror]

Lately i've been thinking about the implications of animal grief as it relates to the morality of God and the problem of evil. As far as I know, grief in animals has only been observed in apes and domesticated animals, particularly dogs and cats. That might have some explanatory value given the deep connection between these species. But if it turns out that grief, or something very much like it, is experienced in a wide variety of species, does that add to the problem of evil? The idea of meaningless emotional pain in animals in addition to meaningless physical pain seems to add another layer of inexplicable cruelty to the teleological plan that, to me, strikes me as only a tad less depressing than an ultimately nihilistic universe. Why does human suffering require compensation while animal suffering is barely considered in these modes of belief?

Why is it 'meaningless' because you said so?

[Tassman]

The fact that placing your hand on a hot stove causes you pain is probably a good thing.

To that extent certainly! One notes that such Pavlovian conditioning techniques seem to be the preferred modus operandi of the Creator Deity - even when conditioning the faithful for the eternal reward/punishment of life after death.

Suffering, other than as another description of physical pain, is a by-product of emotion. So if emotions are a desireable trait, then the consequences of having them are simply the uneaten cake, I suppose.

Certainly. I think one can say that emotional suffering is a byproduct of caring and that “caring” is a consequence of our instinctive need to relate harmoniously with our families and our social units. Therefore “bereavement and emotional suffering would be an inevitable consequence - the 'down-side', as it were.

[Whag]

Why is it 'meaningless' because you said so?

Why is a grieving chimp meaningful? Because you say so?

[lilpixieofterror]

Why is a grieving chimp meaningful? Because you say so?

The "I am rubber and you are glue" comeback? Figures...