At 10:09 AM 12/17/1999 -0600, you wrote:

>Compassion is a trait commonly displayed by carnivorous animals. Herbivores
>are not so disposed.
>
>Troy G.

Delurking (introduction later on) to point out elephants (vegetarian) are
known
for their compassion, particularly as they grieve the deaths of other
elephants. On the other hand, lions and other cats (even domestic cats) will
slaughter the young offspring of vanquished previous pride leaders.

Perhaps compassion is a trait that does not have any immediate obvious benefit
toward helping the practitioner to survive. An act of compassion may result in
some later boon to the being (perhaps unknowingly) practicing the compassion.
Save a baby elephant and the observing matriarch may recall this and not
trample the saviors later on. Let a train strike a baby, though, and mom will
wait around and attack the next train she sees. Dolphins and porpoises help
drowning people; people... catch use dolphins and porpoises to track tuna and
catch a few Ds and Ps in the nets. Until recently, too bad for our friends.

Debby
[log in to unmask]
easing into Neanderthinness
(but not eating elephant meat)
in Albuquerque