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Re:How tiny insects survive the rain by freshnote on Tuesday June 05, 2012 @07:49PM (#4071602)
You claim insects are like "machines" that "mercilessly slaughter". If insects have no sentient attributes like mercy, how can they slaughter others mercilessly?

You can't have your cake and eat it too.

Also: what you hate, you fear.

Re:How tiny insects survive the rain by sliverstorm on Tuesday June 05, 2012 @10:14PM (#4072063)
If insects have no sentient attributes like mercy, how can they slaughter others mercilessly?

Easy. Since they lack attributes like mercy, they slaughter without it. That is to say, they slaughter mercilessly.

And, really, In the context of creatures without mercy, such a phrase can alternatively be viewed as a literary device comparing how the ants act to how a human acts. I'm not sure what the term would be... personification? E.g., "The trees wept".

Re:How tiny insects survive the rain by philsnow on Wednesday June 06, 2012 @12:12AM (#4072377)
anthropomorphism