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A comment on Weeping whales: Stillborn humpback whale grieving documented. Parent comment

Re:Weeping whales: Stillborn humpback whale grieving documented by phoghed on Monday September 21, 2026 @10:22AM (#49787674)
The “somehow” is because nobody had articulated how they are actually special, besides the usual religion driven answer.

The obvious thing to point to is that we’ve acquired more complex language, which enabled us to do various neat things. To which I say ok but a zip file of floats and an algorithm has that too.

Eukaryogenesis was probably a more significant / special historical moment than language or writing.

I think this is all driven by people’s fear of their own insignificance. Is the pig that I ate last week really that much different than me? When I too die and turn into dirt or ash is that really it? It’s all over? Just like that?

So what would qualify as being special? I haven’t seen a compelling argument as to why we are.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Weeping whales: Stillborn humpback whale grieving documented by s1artibartfast on Monday September 21, 2026 @01:59PM (#49790865)
The post you origionally replied to included examples of ways humans are different from all other animals.

You introduced the word "special".

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Re:Weeping whales: Stillborn humpback whale grieving documented by phoghed on Monday September 21, 2026 @03:52PM (#49792445)
All of that whining just for that feckless cop-out?

I’m going to have challenge you to get out your thesaurus and dictionary on this one.

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Re:Weeping whales: Stillborn humpback whale grieving documented by s1artibartfast on Monday September 21, 2026 @05:56PM (#49793985)
Yeah, I lost interest after you didn't answer the question twice and still haven't. The best you got around to is that repeating it back to me.

You have no goal post so what's the point.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Weeping whales: Stillborn humpback whale grieving documented by phoghed on Monday September 21, 2026 @06:12PM (#49794149)
Cry and beg for an answer, get it, pretend you didn’t, don’t know the definition of a word. Truly pathetic to be quite honest. This is why I didn’t earnestly engage you in the first place. I could smell it on you.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Weeping whales: Stillborn humpback whale grieving documented by s1artibartfast on Tuesday September 22, 2026 @03:24PM (#49806765)
Sure buddy... All I'm hearing is cope from someone who was making dumb points before I even joined the conversation. The best you could come up with for a personal threshold is "I haven't seen it".

Well I haven't seen a reason to continue, so I will not check or respond again.

[ Parent | on HN ]