Sick young ants release a smell to tell worker ants to destroy them to protect the colony from infection, scientists said Tuesday, adding that queens do not seem to commit this act of self-sacrifice.
Well, all your arguments can be summarized in “projection of human behavior” onto those ants and pupae.
Okay, let’s go down this rabbit hole.
Do you really think anyone would express her/himself by avoiding this “projectionism”? I don’t think it is even possible. You see this projection in every aspect of our life.
“Time/Computer/etc. is running”
“The train is coming”
“The wind is blowing”
“The storm is raging”
“The city never sleeps”
“The phone died”
“Time flies”
“The night wrapped its arms”
And many, many more. You find those projections everywhere. And you know why? Yes, exactly! They help you understand the situation better. So what’s wrong with using then here too?
And you know what, you could even be scientifically accurate while also doing some less dangerous clickbait just by calling it a self destruction mechanism or something like that, same goes for the cells. It would still be useless fluff added to the topic, but at least it isn’t completely nonsensical.
But no, they decided to go for the romantic route of the self sacrifice for the greater good.
Figurative speech is not equal to what we have here, my dear.
And if you can’t even imagine how to explain yourself without avoiding those embarrassing sentences in the article then we have here a tangible example of why this is dangerous and feeds ignorance.
And you are also in bad faith now, because you said in your very first comment that this is just to make science “accessible”. Now it turns out you think it is not possible to communicate in a scientifically accurate way?
Nice try, but you have to put more effort here if you want to defend such a shitshow.
Just analyzing this mechanism as it is, a biological response for both the pupae and the adult ants, would be already enough to be accurate and clear.
Saying pupae are making an “altruistic act” is laughable and it’s like assuming the target audience is made of mentally challenged people. Which we are not, I think.
Well, all your arguments can be summarized in “projection of human behavior” onto those ants and pupae.
Okay, let’s go down this rabbit hole.
Do you really think anyone would express her/himself by avoiding this “projectionism”? I don’t think it is even possible. You see this projection in every aspect of our life.
“Time/Computer/etc. is running” “The train is coming” “The wind is blowing” “The storm is raging” “The city never sleeps” “The phone died” “Time flies” “The night wrapped its arms”
And many, many more. You find those projections everywhere. And you know why? Yes, exactly! They help you understand the situation better. So what’s wrong with using then here too?
And you know what, you could even be scientifically accurate while also doing some less dangerous clickbait just by calling it a self destruction mechanism or something like that, same goes for the cells. It would still be useless fluff added to the topic, but at least it isn’t completely nonsensical.
But no, they decided to go for the romantic route of the self sacrifice for the greater good.
I’m sorry but it is repulsive to me.
Then please give an example for describing the situation scientific accurately. But please make it accessible for the average people.
Figurative speech is not equal to what we have here, my dear.
And if you can’t even imagine how to explain yourself without avoiding those embarrassing sentences in the article then we have here a tangible example of why this is dangerous and feeds ignorance.
And you are also in bad faith now, because you said in your very first comment that this is just to make science “accessible”. Now it turns out you think it is not possible to communicate in a scientifically accurate way?
Nice try, but you have to put more effort here if you want to defend such a shitshow.
Just analyzing this mechanism as it is, a biological response for both the pupae and the adult ants, would be already enough to be accurate and clear.
Saying pupae are making an “altruistic act” is laughable and it’s like assuming the target audience is made of mentally challenged people. Which we are not, I think.