Forums → WEPR → Animal Rights
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"Auschwitz begins wherever someone looks at a slaughterhouse and thinks: theyâre only animals."
â Theodor W. Adorno
I haven't really waded into the discussion on animal rights, but from what I believe so far, yes blah blah, animals have to have their modicum of rights as well. But what really grinds my gears are animal activists who go on and on about pictures of safari hunting, etc. There's a certain extent that I would care about animals and cruelty (experimentation, pet abuse, etc), but until we stop eating battery farmed animals, I don't think much moral high ground can be taken.
So yes, your opinion?
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There is no scientific explanation as to why a species that exists for survival would do the incredibly stupidly dangerous things humans do, only to be rewarded by other humans with something as simple as "breaking a world-record."
Establishment of social hierarchy within the group. Any group species will do what it takes to be rewarded by their peers with recognition.
Animals live on survival instincts because it is all they know.
There have been chimps known to play in water, not for any reason of survival but just to have fun. Dolphins will chew puffer fish just to experience a high.
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/video?id=9376915
I have to wonder what survival instinct is this dog working from?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAKS7mQTw0k
That for me, makes humans a species apart from other animals.
Would you say other overly developed features in other animals set them apart from the rest of the animals as well?
This article, while showing how empathetic elephants can be, also mentions an interesting bit about ethics in research:
http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/new-study-shows-elephants-console-one-another
My opinion is an animal that is hunted other than for food should not be hunted. Also I don't believe animals should be put in zoos unless they are a dying species or they have a problem which would not allow them to survive in the wild. Also I believe that animals should not perform in such shows as circuses and shows at seaworld. Recently there has been a movie called blackfish that goes behind the scenes of what happens to whales at seaworld this is the trailer for it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqvAM0tHTAA I believe that we should not use animals for our entertainment.
My opinion is an animal that is hunted other than for food should not be hunted. Also I don't believe animals should be put in zoos unless they are a dying species or they have a problem which would not allow them to survive in the wild. Also I believe that animals should not perform in such shows as circuses and shows at seaworld. Recently there has been a movie called blackfish that goes behind the scenes of what happens to whales at seaworld this is the trailer for it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqvAM0tHTAA I believe that we should not use animals for our entertainment.
I agree with that on every count except one. The hunting of invasive species (not including human) to prevent harm to native ecology.
Well, in my perspective. Sentient beings are worthy of a right. Animals don't have a theory of mind, so yeah.
Animals don't have a theory of mind, so yeah.
Okay. I've decided to become a solipsist, so neither do you.
What irritates me the most is those rich parasites on TV parading their dogs in a stupid outfit. You can see those poor animals, standing there, suffering and going crazy.
Dogs are supposed to run and walk at least once a day otherwise they become psychotic and start chewing their own limbs, etc.
I love animals and every pets I had always had a good life because I let them do what animals are supposed to do.
Of course, house dogs are not the same as sheep dogs or outside dogs but letting them run and play makes all the difference in the World to them.
Well, in my perspective. Sentient beings are worthy of a right. Animals don't have a theory of mind, so yeah.
Is your perspective alone a scientific reason we should all abide by? What evidence do you have that animals don't have a theory of mind? Do animals have a consciousness? I would love to read over your research for this.
You do realize humans are animals, in the sense that there is 3 main branches on the tree of life? Bacterias, Plants and Animals? If we are not animals, were do we exist? So if we can evolve from non Sentient beings what is stopping in a few million years another animal evolving into one. There is already some animals that have a great sense of mind.
So not all animals will have a conscious mind. From studying animals and their organs and biological chemistry. We can learn alot about ourselves along with evolution.
It is in human nature to care for things. People have pets, raised up with the best life they could possibly have. There is people with a cruel nature aswell. We hunt them yes but all predator animals hunt, it is how they survive. Others eat plants. All life is essential in one way or another for the survival of all other life.
Animals like chickens are better off from most animals because they are an animal farmed for eating. So there is always enough of them to go around since they are breed for that reason. Most have a good life now, being on farms and free roaming. Some are still on cages but this is fewer than before. So chickens don't seem to have any sense of being, from our perspective and the way we define animals intelligence (the brain size and the size of body in proportion to each other.) So why care for them at all if they might not have a sense of self? Why not? Why do you wish to be cruel?
If we are the Sentient beings as described, should we not treat things with care? We barely even treat each other with respect.
*Footnote:- There is many more branches on this tree (I selected the ones that everyone has heard of,) The complexity of it is difficult to define to those who don't study it. If interested Tree of life
Animal Consciousness
Animal Cognition
Brain to body size index
Is your perspective alone a scientific reason we should all abide by? What evidence do you have that animals don't have a theory of mind? Do animals have a consciousness? I would love to read over your research for this.
Personally I think there are animals that are close to us in matters of consciousness, but proving the presence of a theory of mind in animals is really difficult, even in primates.
Of course that's not a reason to assume we are the only ones who developed a ToM; and even if we were, not sufficient a reason to defend gratuitious torture of animals.
You do realize humans are animals, in the sense that there is 3 main branches on the tree of life? Bacterias, Plants and Animals?
As you insinuate in your footnote, this is an outdated view of the tree of life.
If you're interested, here's a great site I like to check once in a while: http://tolweb.org/tree/
If we are not animals, were do we exist? So if we can evolve from non Sentient beings what is stopping in a few million years another animal evolving into one. There is already some animals that have a great sense of mind.
There's always also the possibility he might not consider us evolved from animals, but created. But for an open minded, cuirous person, us being animals is quite evident, which leads further to the question what separates us from other animals?
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I want to propose something. While I still defend that at least vertebrates are granted a basic protection against pain and stress within limits of reason, we have to concede that even many humans in this world, despite being theoretically protected by human rights, often see that protection failing. If we cannot enforce rights for our own species, how are we to guarantee rights for other species?
So instead of inscribing rights for animals in lawbooks and call it a day, we should campaign for respect towards humans specifically, but animals in general also. A monetary fine will not stop animal cruelty, an educated population might.
There's always also the possibility he might not consider us evolved from animals, but created
Yes i am aware of this. I however use logic and reason in my discussions.
which leads further to the question what separates us from other animals?
The ability that we can say we are different from animals. Is that a reason of
truth or not is not reason enough for fact. The way life is grouped together is not on consciousness but on biology. Our cells are the same cells in animals. Plants are different. Bacterias can be single celled. So as for the answer what separates us from anything else is Genes. That just separates individual species. Cells separate different Kingdoms of life.
So instead of inscribing rights for animals in lawbooks and call it a day, we should campaign for respect towards humans specifically, but animals in general also. A monetary fine will not stop animal cruelty, an educated population might.
I agree, a law as no physical way to stop anything. There is some incentive with lawful punishments and law enforcement. This is not completely reliable in itself. Corruption of police and government is apparent. Others don't enjoy following rules or know why they are in place. Education is the best bet for most things.
This is so much to add to this but that requires another thread.
Footnote:- Animals and plants are not that much different compared to other kingdoms and domains of life. They are both in the same Domain. Bacterias are in a different Domain. Life is that diverse that we can't say the exact number of species there are. Even the tree is complex, most people know of the 3 Kingdoms i mentioned but when considering Domains it is mind blowing.
Difference between animal. plants and bacterias
Three Domain system
you know since in stone age or some ages up to now hunting of animals is normal this is where they get food clothes etc yes we need a law abising against animal cruelty in general but still some people abuse animal
I agree, a law as no physical way to stop anything. There is some incentive with lawful punishments and law enforcement. This is not completely reliable in itself. Corruption of police and government is apparent. Others don't enjoy following rules or know why they are in place. Education is the best bet for most things.
I disagree, partially. If it's a law that people know about, because if no one knows about it obviously nothing will come of it, then some people will stop just because it's there. Not necessarily many at all, but a few.
Then another reason why we can abuse animals is out of sheer selfishness, for the same reason you don't start up a small charity in your free time. It's not that wrong, I believe, since if one wasn't selfish at all then they personally would not be very happy at all.
Then another reason why we can abuse animals is out of sheer selfishness, for the same reason you don't start up a small charity in your free time. It's not that wrong, I believe, since if one wasn't selfish at all then they personally would not be very happy at all.
Selfishness is not a reason to mistreat things. Abuse is not a requisite to hapiness or well-being.
Animal rights, (spits) who would give a non-sentient being the right with the level of sentient beings?(Aside from animal rights groups/activist and some people) . The only rule for their protection, (in my opinion) is to hunt the specie with a high population and leave the rare ones in peace. Unless, of course, if its a parasite, a pest, ect.
Animal rights, (spits) who would give a non-sentient being the right with the level of sentient beings?
I don't know, android #04. What is your pre-programmed opinion on this matter?
The only rule for their protection, (in my opinion) is to hunt the specie with a high population and leave the rare ones in peace. Unless, of course, if its a parasite, a pest, ect.
How very interesting.
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