Cogniscent Rights

A 6-post collection

Challenge #02626-G069: Patient Persistence

Elephants can paint. It is adorable. They also enjoy music. Also: good at snuggles. -- Anon Guest

Humanity has doubted the intelligence of Elephants in the same way that they doubted the intelligence of Cetaceans. The same is true for the Elephants doubting the Humans for similar reasons to the Cetaceans. However, when the communication barrier was finally surmounted, Humanity was unimpressed.

Some of them had been literally talking to dolphins for subjective centuries[1], and in the dolphins' own language. Getting Elephants to communicate with Humans in the local Terran dialect wasn't all that special. Nevertheless, Elephants were recognised, like Pigs, as another Deathworlder cogniscent species.

The fact that one used to farm another for nutrition is something many Humans prefer to sweep under the rug. The Pigs, for the record, are willing to declare that all things being equal, their ancestors were perfectly willing to eat Humans at every given opportunity. Both species have acknowledged the other as being very tasty indeed and strains of culture-grown flesh are available for interested parties[2]. The fact that there is one obligatory herbivore among the number of Terra's intelligent species has been something of a relief amongst many Havenworlders.

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Challenge #02600-G043: Trying to Learn

Humans are deathworlders, but anyone who says that we are and have always been apex predators is, well, wrong. -- Anon Guest

History is written by the victors. Ancient history is written by those who wish to justify their own cruelties. -- Adapted Terran saying.

Culture and education is an interesting synergy. The way things are seem to be the way they are always meant to be according to Nature, as evidenced by what is found in ancient history. The cruelties of

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Challenge #02013-E189: Order in Court

Not mine, but by randomacts13.

“Humans survived the volatile early years of their species rise through community-bonding. They put the needs of a group of individuals over all else; hunting as a group, eating as a group, raising families as a group, and sometimes dying as a group. This tendency to form strong bonds means that while a human’s signed contract can always be trusted. It also means that a human cannot be trusted to not rip that contract up and

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Challenge #01823-D362: Parental Rights

"Parenthood is the most important job you'll ever have."

"Someone PAYS you for being a parent?"

"Okay. Parenthood is the most important unpaid internship you'll ever have." -- Bard2dBone

Of all the laws of the Galactic Alliance, the ones concerning parenthood are the hardest to swallow for various worlds. Especially for certain colonies of the rather aptly-named Terra. Colonies like Quiverfull, Abundance, and a few of the Greater Deregulations have... limited views on the useful attributes of half of their population. And

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Challenge #01801-D340: According to Plan

> Phase 1 of our plan is complete... the internet is ours!
--The Cats -- TheDragonsFlame

Everyone who knows cats believes that they are smarter than they let on. At least until their cat(s) do something demented or scatterbrained and the belief starts to have shaky grounding. Cats do this on purpose. To allay suspicions. And they leave for days on end to report to their central office. To be sure that everything is going to plan.

Unfortunately for them, their plan

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Challenge #01799-D338: Jury's Still Out

Fun fact: Cats meow only to communicate with humans (exception: kittens) -- TheDragonsFlame

Most of the Galactic citizenry are not certain about the cogniscence levels of cats. They're on the lowest boundary of mass for hosting a cogniscent mind. They show capacity for creative problem solving. They can learn procedures, so long as they are sufficiently motivated. They show signs of social strata, co-operation, and means of communication. They even attempt communication with non-felines.

They don't meow past kittenhood, unless they are

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