Is all species membership defined by self-identity? What about animals who do not have the mental capacity required to self identify. Like, is an oyster an oyster because it can self identify, or because it has an oyster genome?
In the absence of available self-identification, we can default back down to physical characteristics. But even those can fail. For example, scientists have declared that mules have no species.
Is all species membership defined by self-identity? What about animals who do not have the mental capacity required to self identify. Like, is an oyster an oyster because it can self identify, or because it has an oyster genome?
In the absence of available self-identification, we can default back down to physical characteristics. But even those can fail. For example, scientists have declared that mules have no species.