"Derek" > wrote
> On Sat, 30 Jul 2005 11:51:40 -0700, "Dutch" > wrote:
[..]

>>>>this is a vegan group, a google search under animals and learning will
>>>>show lots of great info. Derek is obviously anti-vgan.
>>>
>>> Nope. I'm a vegan and have been for nigh on 15
>>> years for ethical reasons. I see animals as rights-
>>> holders but don't believe they can experience
>>> emotions.
>>
>>How do you define an emotion?
>
> A human experience.

Which dictionary does that come from? You appear to be inventing a
limitation to support your conclusion.

>>What is happening in a dog who is shown his
>>favorite play-toy when his head and tail become erect and and he pants and
>>dances around in circles by the door?
>
> Something unemotional.

If emotion is an expression of spontaneous, without conscious thought,
mental and physiological excitement, and it is, then the dog is exhibiting
emotion.

>>If that is not anticipation of a
>>familiar desirable activity AND an expression of emotion then what is it?
>
> Conditioning.

Conditioning explains why animals react the way they do to certain stimuli,
not a description of a specific mental and physiological state.