How Many WFTs does it take....

Perfect Tosca has challenged all doggies to write the answer to.....

How many (your breed) does it take to change a light bulb?

My pal Jackson, always on the ball (er, on the bulb in this case) has already done WFT's, so I asked Teka to tell us how she would change a light bulb.

Well, I would run in circles beneath the light bulb, yapping loudly and taking my graceful little leaps into the air. I would occasionally run to the corner of the room and try to dig a hole, to see if I could get to the light bulb that way. I would run to muzzer's purse or the table and steal something that smelled good and consume it beneath the light bulb. I would take Gussie's favorite toy and drag it over and shred it to pieces beneath the light bulb. I would charge at Gussie and try to nip his ear.

Then, one of two things would happen.

Either, the light bulb would get tired of watching me and come back on all by itself.

OR...I would get bored and go away and bark at something else.

Now, being of a slightly philosophical bent (nurture, not nature here for sure) my approach to changing a light bulb would be slightly different than either Teka's or Jackson's:

*I would begin a dialogue with the light bulb, and attempt to find out whether the light bulb really wants to be changed. If the light bulb did not want to be changed, I would engage in a discussion about whether it was his/her right to decide not to be changed, if this was a free will decision on her/his part, and how this decision would affect the common good.

In the event that his/her decision would negatively affect the common good, if, for example, a human coming through the room in which the light bulb is located might be injured because of the lack of illumination in that area, we would then discuss whether changing the light bulb would infringe on the rights of the light bulb to a greater extent than not changing it would affect the greater good of the populace.

We might also discuss such issues as the amount of energy consumed by the light bulb, and whether that was an equitable and fair use of the energy, or whether there were greater needs for energy not being met because of the use of the light bulb. Or, perhaps we should investigate what options the light bulb has for change, and how that would/might affect future decisions. If the light bulb has never before exercised free will, for example, if she/ he has never refused to illuminate the area when asked to do so, or if he/she never expressed a preference for being in a lamp rather than being in an overhead fixture, might that negate her/his option to exercise free will in this instance?

There are a number of other issues which are raised, but in the end, should we reach consensus on the desirability of changing the light bulb, or perhaps in better terms, replacing the light bulb with one that is willing/able to function in the role of illuminating the room I would call my local handyperson/electrician and request that she/he come to the area where the light bulb needs or desires changing and I would have the electrician/handyperson change the bulb, because I am a philosopher's dog, and I do not change light bulbs.

*with apologies, respect and admiration for my dad, who writes like this most of the time!