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A Trip to the Zoo – Roger Williams Zoo, Providence RI

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I have mixed feelings about zoos. I like seeing exotic animals, but I watch them and they always cause me to ponder the nature of consciousness. Perhaps it is a gift that is not ours alone.
Last Modified: January 6, 2023

A trip to the zoo

In this photo essay taken at Roger Williams Zoo in Providence Rhode Island I deliberately tried in most cases to hide the signs of captivity, to draw attention to the animals themselves, and in the case of the mammals, to try and capture something of the creature’s personality. And they do have such a thing, which raises many questions within my own mind about the nature of animal consciousness. Do some of them feel the pain of captivity. What would we feel if we knew what they feel? 

How do you know another mind? One incapable of communicating it’s experiences. Short answer… you can’t. That remains a question for philosophers. 

Beyond my mixed feelings it is a lovely place and the animals are well cared for.