Cats can be taught spiritual truths

Round 2 | Arguments and Rebuttal | by Eav | 14.10.2014 Thanks to my opponent as well, it’s nice to be back. I’d consider the definition given as rather self-invented than fact-based but as the debate was rather unclear about this point from the beginning, I had it coming and therefore I accept the definition as provided. Rebuttal0. Video RebuttalYouTube videos, especially those under five minutes, don’t show proper context to a certain situation. Nor are they provided by instances that have a claim on providing correct material. A situation can either be manipulated in context, by conditioning an animal to behave in a certain way to a certain trigger (which would not reflect self-developed skills or learning process) or by manipulating the video digitally. And the actual worth as evidence also partly relies on interpretation. Taking the video, that supposedly proofs that Cats intelligently use tools: The door is unlocked and the doormat does not actually help opening it. The strength to push it open comes from the cat and under no circumstance would have required the mat. Therefore we don’t have a situation in which a tool is needed for achieving the best possible outcome or to solve the problem at all. Therefore the video cannot even proof what it is trying to, because the base-situation is not suitable. It’s also, or especially because the doormat is unnecessary, not clear for what reason the cat is pulling on the mat. As cat-owners might recall, do cats sometimes unintentionally get stuck with their claws, which usually presents itself as a little panic-attack in which they destroy pullovers, curtains and pillow sheets. Similar could have happened here, where the cat playfully reaches out for the doormat and gets stuck, pulling the mat to her/him just because for the moment given, they can’t let go. It’s not clear, because, again it’s a YouTube problem, the angle here is not appropriate and not conclusive. 1. Cats demonstrate characteristically religious virtuesPro argues that Cats show naturally behaviour that is similar to behaviour we purposely develop to become more spiritual, e.g. sitting still (for meditation). Thinking about the goals of meditation, the overall goal of the “highest level of consciousness” seems subjectively not unrealistic to achieve for an animal that used to get its food solely by hunting. But looking deeper into it, we can either conclude that the very nature of this “highest level of consciousness” is defined or created by wisdom, liberation and enlightenment {1 http://www.thelogician.net...}Especially liberation and enlightenment are not achievable for animals such as cats, as they lack free will. In Genesis 2:16, God commands only [hu]man not eat from the forbidden tree, because only [hu]man can choose so. It also means that in terms of the bible cats can’t sin, because that is for Christianity to act against Gods laws. Would Cats be able to sin, they would have been required to get a warning to not eat from the tree’s fruits as well.From a non-Christian perspective wisdom and enlightenment both require an understanding of complex topics that can only be expressed by complex language. Therefore see the following point 2. Such as mentally disabled people are physically capable of speaking they often can’t produce understandable language due to a lack of self-control and own language understanding. A Cat’s physical ability to sit still does not equal the ability to fulfil the mental part of meditation and therefore a Cat’s ability to perform the physical part of a spiritual virtue is no evidence of any sort, that the cat is able to fulfil the mental part of the spiritual virtue. 2. Cats can learn languages and spiritual truthsCats can learn a few words. But these are trigger words. A cat can hear the sound structure of “Come” and, even if it chooses not to do so, learn that it means: Go to the speaker and get a treat. Connecting a word with one outcome is conditioning your animal. It means a Cat can learn the word, but it can’t understand it.“A tested generalised insight is an understanding; it is a meaning or discernment that one may profitably apply to several or even many similar, but not necessarily identical, situations or processes” {2 http://www.cdtl.nus.edu.sg...}The example word from the Zen Buddhism is one word. But it’s connected to a complex set of emotions and while a cat may recall and remember the sound structure, it’s not able to grasp the complex meaning, because that would require independent thinking and connecting. 3. Cats would be easier to manage, were they more spiritual: see Counter-Rebuttal 1.4. Cats can sin, therefore need to become more spiritual“Missing the mark” is not a wrong definition for sin. But "mark", is a word that has to be seen in context. In terms of sin it means not to miss a physical mark like a dot on wall, but to “miss the guideline mark” provided by god. Just as “to wander from the path” is not literally but figuratively meant. See also the mentioned Genesis 2:16 (Genesis is also noted in Pro's sources, what makes my interpretation based on it's consideration more likely) why cats can’t sin.And on a note to video 2: Even IF “missing the mark” would be meant literally, the video would not be evidence because the cat has beenn unknowingly tricked into it, by a human exploiting its natural hunting instincts. Therefore it’s the human who sinned, not the cat. 5. Cats are spiritual truths because they provide similar psychological benefits as religionThis again is logically flawed because it assumes that things with the same outcome are the same. That both concepts trigger the reward system and have positive effects on the overall health is not a conclusive evidence. In this logic, tea, could be a spiritual truth {3 http://www.today.com...}.Counter-Rebuttal1. Cat perfection: Logical flaw holds“truth” is an absolute concept. One thing can either be truth or false, it’s never something in between. Math-Logic (e.g boolean algebra) solely relies on this fact. My use of the word “perfect” referred to the absolute nature of a “spiritual truth”. Therefore: if cats are spiritual truths (what Pro aims to show) than they can’t become more spiritual OR if cats can change their shedding and manageability and become more spiritual they cannot be spiritual truths. 2. Cat tools: see Rebuttal 0.3. Cat reincarnation: major sourcing problemPro claims to include all the religions there are. As according to just Wikipedia there are way over 4,000 religions and Pro has not provided any stats that what he claims about these 4,000 is true.Humanly possible is to survey the major religions, outlined in my last round. And for them, Pro’s claim is still false. 4. Cats in heaven: One-Sided-InterpretationAs said before, many parts of religious texts are very up for interpretation on animals in heaven. Just as the given example doesn’t explicitly say that these are the spirits of animals on earth. Or that it is a literally meant part. This part easily be one of the many metaphors for actual people. Pro again interprets religios and spiritual material solely literal which is incorrect because one-sided. Jesus for example uses parables quite often {4 http://swapmeetdave.com...} to explain a real life problem with animals, crops or conceptional situations with other humans.//Well, that was me so far. I'd agree with Pro, it was challenging for me as well.