Feral Child Scenario
Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2019 2:13 pmSo. Here's a thought experiment and I'd like to know what you think the response should be, your reasoning, and which philosophies you're relying on to come to the decision. That way we can get some varied answers even if it's all the "same" response.
A feral child is discovered at the borders of a village you are in charge of. They are 10 years old. The child is taken in, but during the night, they begin howling. (Several cases of feral children show they howl at night. It's thought these were children adopted by wolves.). As you are aware of previous cases this is no surprise to you, however, unlike previous cases of feral children, this time, the wolves turn up.
They loiter around the border of the village and howl back, seeming agitated as they return the howls of the child. The child is clearly trying to get to them.
From your knowledge of previous feral child cases:
1. As the child is above the age of 8, they will never learn language. At best, with intensive instruction, they will learn a limited number of words related to their immediate needs. (Food, perhaps favorite foods, Stop, Please, Sleep, Hug, and so on.). Grammar is not something any feral child has been capable of learning beyond the age of 8, they will never construct a sentence and will be limited to single words of this kind.
2. The child will spend years learning to walk upright. Feral children do not walk upright. It is a meme we learn from watching others do it. Left to our own devices, or learning from animals, we walk on all fours. As the child is above the age of 5, it will take years to learn, if they ever do.
3. The child will never be comfortable in clothes. No feral child found beyond the age of 8 has voluntarily worn clothes unless incentivized to do so with promise of rewards, and they resist it. They will be unable to dress themselves.
4. Of the feral children found throughout history who are thusly incapacitated, the longest lived reached the age of 40. Most die by age 16 or 17 even in human society, that is assuming they survive the initial shock. A substantial number die within the first weeks of transition. (It's thought this may be a dietary issue). The one who lived to age 40 was subjected to repeated medical intervention and institutionalized their whole life.
5. The child will eat by bringing their face to food. This, like walking on all fours, is our "natural" state. Bringing food to our faces is a meme we learn from watching others do it. This is something many feral children never get out of the habit of doing, and the most responsive of feral children rescued early (but not too early, lest their experience be negligible, around 5 to 8 ) have admitted doing so only for the benefit of others and that it feels unnatural to them.
6. Please note, as in the case of severely neglected though not feral children (An example being; Isabelle), even in extremely neglectful conditions there is hope for total recovery. Isabelle was kept in a dark room with no sound or verbal communication with others. Her mother was confined to the bed unable to move in the same room, and was deaf and dumb. Nevertheless, the two developed a personal and rudimentary sign language. Following rescue, Isabelle made a full recovery which would not be possible for a truly feral child her age, despite having learned no verbal language she was able to do so. I point this out to demonstrate the importance of even rudimentary human contact and how the lack of it completely changes the scenario and potential for recovery.
7. The lack of potential for recovery is severe enough that scientific testing and ethics panels have concluded it is unethical to attempt it, as it makes love, approval, and attention contingent on something outside the subjects control. Studies on feral children have been terminated as a result. The current response is to simply administer care without attempt for rehabilitation.
Given these facts, do you just allow the child to reunite with the wolves?
Or do you think there is something obligating you to care for the child in human society?
Does your response change if both the child and the wolves become violent in their attempts to reunite?
My answer;
No clue bruv. It's genuinely stumped me.
A feral child is discovered at the borders of a village you are in charge of. They are 10 years old. The child is taken in, but during the night, they begin howling. (Several cases of feral children show they howl at night. It's thought these were children adopted by wolves.). As you are aware of previous cases this is no surprise to you, however, unlike previous cases of feral children, this time, the wolves turn up.
They loiter around the border of the village and howl back, seeming agitated as they return the howls of the child. The child is clearly trying to get to them.
From your knowledge of previous feral child cases:
1. As the child is above the age of 8, they will never learn language. At best, with intensive instruction, they will learn a limited number of words related to their immediate needs. (Food, perhaps favorite foods, Stop, Please, Sleep, Hug, and so on.). Grammar is not something any feral child has been capable of learning beyond the age of 8, they will never construct a sentence and will be limited to single words of this kind.
2. The child will spend years learning to walk upright. Feral children do not walk upright. It is a meme we learn from watching others do it. Left to our own devices, or learning from animals, we walk on all fours. As the child is above the age of 5, it will take years to learn, if they ever do.
3. The child will never be comfortable in clothes. No feral child found beyond the age of 8 has voluntarily worn clothes unless incentivized to do so with promise of rewards, and they resist it. They will be unable to dress themselves.
4. Of the feral children found throughout history who are thusly incapacitated, the longest lived reached the age of 40. Most die by age 16 or 17 even in human society, that is assuming they survive the initial shock. A substantial number die within the first weeks of transition. (It's thought this may be a dietary issue). The one who lived to age 40 was subjected to repeated medical intervention and institutionalized their whole life.
5. The child will eat by bringing their face to food. This, like walking on all fours, is our "natural" state. Bringing food to our faces is a meme we learn from watching others do it. This is something many feral children never get out of the habit of doing, and the most responsive of feral children rescued early (but not too early, lest their experience be negligible, around 5 to 8 ) have admitted doing so only for the benefit of others and that it feels unnatural to them.
6. Please note, as in the case of severely neglected though not feral children (An example being; Isabelle), even in extremely neglectful conditions there is hope for total recovery. Isabelle was kept in a dark room with no sound or verbal communication with others. Her mother was confined to the bed unable to move in the same room, and was deaf and dumb. Nevertheless, the two developed a personal and rudimentary sign language. Following rescue, Isabelle made a full recovery which would not be possible for a truly feral child her age, despite having learned no verbal language she was able to do so. I point this out to demonstrate the importance of even rudimentary human contact and how the lack of it completely changes the scenario and potential for recovery.
7. The lack of potential for recovery is severe enough that scientific testing and ethics panels have concluded it is unethical to attempt it, as it makes love, approval, and attention contingent on something outside the subjects control. Studies on feral children have been terminated as a result. The current response is to simply administer care without attempt for rehabilitation.
Given these facts, do you just allow the child to reunite with the wolves?
Or do you think there is something obligating you to care for the child in human society?
Does your response change if both the child and the wolves become violent in their attempts to reunite?
My answer;
No clue bruv. It's genuinely stumped me.