How sad are the monkeys in the zoo?

The podcast "Search Engine" explores the question, "How sad are the monkeys in the zoo?" through a conversation with Dr. Laurel Braitman, a professor at Stanford School of Medicine and author of "Animal Madness." Braitman discusses the challenges of understanding animal emotions, noting the historical shift from Descartes' view of animals as machines to Darwin's observational approach. She critiques modern scientific methods that remove animals from their natural habitats for testing. The conversation touches on the complex feelings of animals, including humor and vengeance, using examples like elephants playing jokes and an elephant serial killer in Thailand. Braitman suggests that animals born in captivity may be less aware of their situation, but this raises ethical questions. Ultimately, the podcast grapples with the unknowable gap between human understanding and animal experience, advocating for improved living conditions and entertainment for zoo animals.