Inspired by Rupert Sheldrake's study of the phenomenon of dogs being able to tell, well in advance, when their owners will be arriving home, independent of any cues such as familiar scents or sounds (footsteps, engine noises), I am trying to devise an experiment that is identical in every way but with plants substituting for dogs. If I remember correctly, even cats and birds exhibit similar abilities and behaviors but perhaps not with the same reliability of dogs given their different natures, with the stereotype of cats being comparatively indifferent to human behavior holding true also in this case as one might expect, and birds of course inhabiting that strange avian world that has never quite been contained by the human one, at least not to the extent for which that of dogs, and to a lesser extent, of cats, have been.
Of course, dogs are ideal for such a study not only because they are so loyal and attentive, but because they are so demonstrative. Sheldrake conducted his study by observing when dogs ran to the window and waited, a clear sign that they knew that their owner (an awful idea by the way, maybe custodian or even parent is better) was on his or her way. How to observe this in plants presents a bit of a puzzle.
I will have to reread Mancuso and Viola, as well as Gagliano, to see if I can pick up ideas on how to monitor plants for changes in behavior. I am somewhat skeptical that I will achieve any positive results since Sheldrake has stated that so far the quality that is noticeable in mammals and birds has not been seen in reptiles. Since I place beings on a continuum of of interactive awareness, ranging from humans and other primates to dolphins to dogs to parrots to lizards to hydrangeas, I am not so confident that I will be able to skip a register by observing something in plants that not even reptiles exhibit. But who knows, I could be wrong, and this is what experiments are for. I suppose I am most interested in figuring out how to monitor social reactivity in plants. If anything good comes out of such a study, it surely will be this first and foremost. I think that whatever Gagliano did to detect the use of sound by plants is what I need, or is at least a place to start.
You can learn more about Sheldrake's dog study here.
Of course, dogs are ideal for such a study not only because they are so loyal and attentive, but because they are so demonstrative. Sheldrake conducted his study by observing when dogs ran to the window and waited, a clear sign that they knew that their owner (an awful idea by the way, maybe custodian or even parent is better) was on his or her way. How to observe this in plants presents a bit of a puzzle.
I will have to reread Mancuso and Viola, as well as Gagliano, to see if I can pick up ideas on how to monitor plants for changes in behavior. I am somewhat skeptical that I will achieve any positive results since Sheldrake has stated that so far the quality that is noticeable in mammals and birds has not been seen in reptiles. Since I place beings on a continuum of of interactive awareness, ranging from humans and other primates to dolphins to dogs to parrots to lizards to hydrangeas, I am not so confident that I will be able to skip a register by observing something in plants that not even reptiles exhibit. But who knows, I could be wrong, and this is what experiments are for. I suppose I am most interested in figuring out how to monitor social reactivity in plants. If anything good comes out of such a study, it surely will be this first and foremost. I think that whatever Gagliano did to detect the use of sound by plants is what I need, or is at least a place to start.
You can learn more about Sheldrake's dog study here.
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