How is "play" defined? Activity that is not immediately beneficial to the creature doing the action? One that's not related to food/shelter/survival?
Hey, don't worry about it. Nest full of vampires, you come get me, okay. Box full of puppies, that's more of a judgement call.
Jonathan ,'Lies My Parents Told Me'
Natter 54: Right here, dammit.
Off-topic discussion. Wanna talk about corsets, duct tape, or physics? This is the place. Detailed discussion of any current-season TV must be whitefonted.
Connie Neil - Oct 08, 2007 9:29:18 am PDT #5645 of 10001
brillig
§ ita § - Oct 08, 2007 9:32:48 am PDT #5646 of 10001
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
From the snopes page:
We note that although these photographs are genuine, the interpretation of what they depict is somewhat subjective. Although most lay observers would characterize the activity shown in these images as "play," animal behavioralists differ as to whether it truly constitutes play (i.e., activity engaged in purely for pleasure) or whether that description is an anthropomorphization of more instinctive, survival-based behaviors.
Scrappy - Oct 08, 2007 9:35:25 am PDT #5647 of 10001
Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.
It sure looks like play when my dog does it at the dog park.
Lee - Oct 08, 2007 9:52:27 am PDT #5648 of 10001
The feeling you get when your brain finally lets your heart get in its pants.
Sparky, you ROCK! you're like the super sleuth librarian! THANK YOU!
She really is, and has all the best databases as well.
Jessica - Oct 08, 2007 9:52:33 am PDT #5649 of 10001
And then Ortus came and said "It's Ortin' time" and they all Orted off into the sunset
play (i.e., activity engaged in purely for pleasure) or whether that description is an anthropomorphization of more instinctive, survival-based behaviors.
I call false dichotomy. Surely activites engaged in purely for pleasure can also be instinctive and/or survival-based. (Otherwise, why have orgasms?)
Jesse - Oct 08, 2007 9:53:59 am PDT #5650 of 10001
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure when my cat plays it's both fun/pleasurable and keeping his survival skills somewhat up-to-date.
Sparky1 - Oct 08, 2007 9:56:29 am PDT #5651 of 10001
Librarian Warlord
She really is, and has all the best databases as well.
I think that Kat probably had access the whole time if she's got an UCLA IP address or access to the proxy server, because I finally remember to use ProQuest's historical newspapers.
msbelle - Oct 08, 2007 9:56:37 am PDT #5652 of 10001
I remember the crazy days. 500 posts an hour. Nubmer! Natgbsb
I wonder if the Institute for play is a fun place to work?
Glamcookie - Oct 08, 2007 9:57:40 am PDT #5653 of 10001
I know my own heart and understand my fellow man. But I am made unlike anyone I have ever met. I dare to say I am like no one in the whole world. - Anne Lister
I need librarian help, too! I need to find a scholarly journal (peer-reviewed) that only publishes to the Web. No print version. I'm finding plenty that put the entire thing online, but they all have print versions as well. I'm hoping to find one that deals with info science, technical communication. Anyone?
bon bon - Oct 08, 2007 9:59:25 am PDT #5654 of 10001
It's five thousand for kissing, ten thousand for snuggling... End of list.
I wonder if the Institute for play is a fun place to work?
I bet they take themselves too seriously. It's the fucking Institute for Play!