Penny Arcade - Comic - The Gnoll Set

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Penny Arcade - Comic - The Gnoll Set

Videogaming-related online strip by Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins. Includes news and commentary.

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buggybuggers

Philosophy? I didn't sign up for this!

Descendant X

Gabe asking the real questions here.

Steel Angel

Descendant X wrote: »

Gabe asking the real questions here.

That's just the tip of the iceberg. We should also be asking if Taurens and Pandarens are animals. And if so, what does that make Worgen.

Rottonapple

Gnolls are humanoid according to wowhead, soooo, not an animal?

Tigrerojo

A handjob and a pawjob aren't the same in the yiff glossary; therefore, gnolls have two paws, and two hands. Case Closed. Furries fix everything again.

RatherDashing

Rottonapple wrote: »

Gnolls are humanoid according to wowhead, soooo, not an animal?

Also Forsaken are humanoid and not undead. Don't let the rotting flesh fool you.

But wait... we're talking about vanilla wow here. Which means Forsaken can be Turned and Druids can be Scare Beast'd once again... glorious...

sokpupet

Using taxonomic ranking (and a splash of pedantry), of course gnolls are animals. Just like humans, orcs, elves, dwarves, taurens, pandarens, etc. are animals. The question Gabe should really be asking, is their level of sentience.
Provided of course the Azerothan sciences have yet to create their own version with a separate 'mystical' kingdom or, dare I to dream, 'mystical' domain.
Seriously though, if there isn't already a wiki out there where this has already been written I will be surprised.

RatherDashing

Baloo is clearly bipedal and sentient, and he calls his hands paws. He is actually an expert on the subject, knowing as he does that you don't use the paw to pick a pear from the prickly pawpaw.

TheSchaef

I was not told there would be math.

BloodySloth

The difference between people and animals doesn't exist. People are animals. Both literally, as in taxonimically, human beings are animals, and figuratively, as in we're all assholes.

Dramegno

well according to Merriam Webster:
Definition of paw

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : the foot of a quadruped (such as a lion or dog) that has claws broadly : the foot of an animal

2 : a human hand especially when large or clumsy

Dictionary.com
noun

the foot of an animal having claws.
the foot of any animal.
Informal . the human hand, especially one that is large, rough, or clumsy: Keep your paws off my property.

and Cambridge Dictionary:

B2 [ C ] the foot of an animal that has claws or nails, such as a cat, dog, or bear:
I found paw prints in the kitchen.
Compare
hoof noun
​

[ C usually plural ] informal humorous a human hand:
Take your filthy paws off my nice clean towel!

So it would seem that a humanoid hand can be defined as a "paw" if only informally, which means 3 good sources for Gabe (animal remark not withstanding) and 0 for Tycho...

Somehow this feels wrong so very wrong... Why do I feel dirty?

joshofalltrades

This conversation about fictional races is making me uncomfortable

NotoriusBEN

the only good gnoll is a dead gnoll. rip and tear until it is done.

Golden Yak

IRL though, do chimps and similar have two arms and two legs, with hands and feet? Or do they have four arms and four hands?

DarkPrimus

Gnolls were a noble and proud race, once. The brute savagery now associated with them merely represent the desperate measures they have to resort to in order to survive, after centuries of slanderous rumors of dark magics and barbaric practices used as an excuse to drive them out of their settlements in order for the attackers to claim their lands for themselves.

Cambiata

ok but we all know the real question is: would you rather have a dog with hands instead of paws or a cat with a human face?

BloodySloth

If I had a dog with hands maybe I could play video games with him. On the other hand, I don't think I want to see the full range of cat emotion play out on a human face. If the cat was feeling extra lovey it would make me feel really uncomfortable, and if the cat was feeling really aloof then I wouldn't want to deal with its disdainful bitch-face.

Edit: On the other other hand, a dog who likes to, er, self-service would be impossible to live with if it learned how to use hands. God that would be a nightmare.

Commander Zoom

Descendant X wrote: »

Gabe asking the real questions here.

Enlong

I like how when Tycho says this question has made life difficult for him, Gabe just says "okay."

Lucascraft

Enlong wrote: »

I like how when Tycho says this question has made life difficult for him, Gabe just says "okay."

My interpretation is that his "Okay" means "go on" because he knows he will anyway.

Kred

I was thinking more like "Okay, I don't really care, in fact it gives me some degree of satisfaction to know this caused you grief"

I also like to think the last line is not a real argument, it's just Gabe throwing something out there he knows Tycho won't be able to stop obsessing over for the next week or so.