Are mollusks, scallops, oysters, clams, etc. animals, plants or what? Do they have brains? Can they love?

Mollusks are invertebrates--yes animals. But, they're nervous system isn't as developed as ours are, so they don't feel the same way we do. There brain really isn't a brain, as much as a region of receptors. They probably don't feel "pain" so to speak, but they know that pain is a negative stimulus to avoid, if that makes sense. Evolutionarily, they would be conditioned to avoid "painful" situations that might harm them, but the pain wouldn't feel like it does to you and me. Incidentally, octopus and squid are also mollusks, but their nervous systems are a little more advanced than clams, scallops, and oysters. I'm sure none of them feel love. Basically, they just feel the need to survive and reproduce.

Are mollusks, scallops, oysters, clams, etc. animals, plants or what? Do they have brains? Can they love?
They're invertebrates in the animal kingdom. They have rudimentary brains but 'love' is not in their life. They have a urge to reproduce by scattering eggs and fertilizing them, but that's not my definition of love.
Reply:they are all animals, they all have working organs and yes brains, and weather or not they can love is actually an opinion. i believe so.
Reply:they're bivalves and they're really just a very small muscle so they don't think or anything
Reply:They are animals, but NO to all of your other questions. But they are considered "seafood" and if you are a pesco vegetarian or flexitarian vegetarian like many cultures, Japan for instance, you eat them.





I am a flexitarian vegetarian and I eat a lot of seafood and fish along with a lot of plant matter. So eat away.
Reply:They don't have a brain, can't love and taste great.
Reply:Mollusks are animals.





We can't read other people's minds; so how can we read the minds of mollusks?
Reply:They are animals, some have ganglia (primitive brain or a primitive nervous system). However, not all mollusks are created equal. The octopus for example is a neurologically-advanced invertebrate, they are very smart and the female raises her young then dies. There is also gastropods, etc... The best thing is to educate yourself.


Since I am not sure if they feel pain, I do not eat them! I am sure tofu doesn't suffer!


Check: www.pbs.org/kcet/shapeoflife/animals/mol... and http://www.biosci.ohio-state.edu/~mollus...


Good luck and happy eating.
Reply:they dont have a brain but have vegetative nervous system, biologically they are in the lowest place in hierarchy of the animals