---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: seems plausible that an animal might feel…"
description: "\"“seems plausible that an animal might feel pain or thirst without having an “inner model” of the world,”\" — Peter Godfrey-Smith"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/peter-godfrey-smith-23110_animals_seems-plausible-that-an-animal-might-fee_1098307.jpg"
---

#  seems plausible that an animal might feel pain or thirst…

![“seems plausible that an animal might feel pain or thirst without having an “inner model” of the world,” quote by Peter Godfrey-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/peter-godfrey-smith-23110_animals_seems-plausible-that-an-animal-might-fee_1098307.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/peter-godfrey-smith-23110_animals_seems-plausible-that-an-animal-might-fee_1098307.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/peter-godfrey-smith-23110_animals_seems-plausible-that-an-animal-might-fee_1098307.jpg)

> ““seems plausible that an animal might feel pain or thirst without having an “inner model” of the world,””

[Peter Godfrey-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-godfrey-smith/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Animals may experience pain or thirst without a mental representation of the world, suggesting consciousness can be non-representational.

**In simple terms:** Pain can exist without self‑model.

Key Takeaway

Consider diverse forms of experience.

Themes

consciousness animal welfare philosophy of mind

Mood

thoughtful ethical

Type

scientific philosophical

When to use this quote

- animal research
- veterinary care
- environmental policy

Key Concepts

biology ethics

Questions to Reflect On

- How should we treat beings without self‑awareness?
- What ethical duties arise from this view?

A Different Perspective

Assessing animal suffering is complex.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Animal Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal-feel-914510/) [Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals/) [Pain Thirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain-thirst-2874543/) [Plausible Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plausible-animal-2874542/) [Thirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thirst/) [Thirst Having](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thirst-having-2874544/)

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