But seriously they aren't aware of death they just act based on evolutionary impulses that in the past made their ancestors not die. A prey creature has zero cognition of its own death.
">they just act based on evolutionary impulses that in the past made their ancestors not die."
That's exactly what we do also.
"> A prey creature has zero cognition of its own death. "
Well, they look scared to me, the simplest explanation is that they feel the same way that us. Why to add anything else to the simplest explanation? In order we can feel superior to them? Sounds like chauvinism to me. Or in order we don't feel guilty when we kill them? Sounds like cowardice to me.
Or put it another way, why I can't say the same thing about you? Maybe you are not aware of your own death, you just act based on evolutionary impulses that in the past made their your ancestors not to die.
...neuroscience? Are you implying that rabbits have the ability to understand the metaphysical concept of death like humans? If so where is your supporting evidence? Death is much more complex than simple things like language or long term planning and rabbits can barely do either.
Humanity is always seeking to define an arbitrary demarcation point between man and animal. The goal posts were moved (again) after we discovered orangutans using prepared tools to fish for termites.
But seriously they aren't aware of death they just act based on evolutionary impulses that in the past made their ancestors not die. A prey creature has zero cognition of its own death.