Is it okay to discriminate against non-Human animals?
People in the world consistently argue against the slaughter of animals for consumption or production, but they themselves often discriminate against other people in their own Genus, Humanity. It is often said that we are superior animals to all others on our planet (you never know) because we are self-Aware and far more versatile than all other animals. Does that make it okay to discriminate against the animals that are not human because of exactly that?
Yeah, We're Superior!
Side Score: 12
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No, we're all animals.
Side Score: 9
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To grant animals all the same rights and privileges that humans enjoy (or are supposed to) would be problematic and, in most cases, lost upon the animal in question. Everywhere in the natural world, living things use or consume other living things for their own benefit; mostly, this takes the form of simple predation. Humans have developed different ways of using animals but I believe the principle is the same. That said, inflicting pain is to be avoided whenever possible. Humans are intelligent enough to know that animals are capable of suffering to various degrees, and we have the ability to largely allay that suffering, even in slaughterhouses, without minimizing the benefit we reap from the animal. Just because we consume animals does not mean we cannot have respect or empathy for them, treat them as well as we can, and avoid abusing them or using them for frivolous purposes. Side: Yeah, We're Superior!
You are entirely correct, however I happen to vary with you in the sense that animals are only capable of emotional response and rarely intellect and therefore do not "Suffer" per say. I still agree entirely, however, but Humans should come before animals to other humans. Preservation of species, no? Side: Yeah, We're Superior!
Animals are clearly capable of experiencing physical pain to a sophisticated degree; such a thing does not require 'intellect', only a functioning brain and nervous system. Some animals are also quite capable of psychological as well as physical distress. If they were incapable of suffering, my argument against their mistreatment would be largely meaningless. Side: Yeah, We're Superior!
We are all animals and should eat each other, preferably with bacon. Also, most animals have not accepted jesus christ as their saviour and therefore will not be going to heaven so their life here on earth is inconsequential. Once they die, all of the "pain and suffering" (chemical reactions between cells) they experience will no longer exist so in the long run who cares? Unless you are talking about whether or not they should be allowed to vote, in which case I ask have you not read animal farm? Side: Yeah, We're Superior!
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I can answer that question with another question. Should it happen that some sort of extra terrestrial life-form expose themselves, you would accept the slaughter and slavery (and the occasional "beastiality" [translating to the rape of your family members]) of our specie based on the notion that "superior" life-forms may do as they wish with no ethical or moral concern? The ability to act is a poor excuse to do so. To those gripping the argument "we may do as we wish", accept your reality, but be aware of your denial every instance you consider yourself to be an advanced life-form, you're no different than a parasite leeching off the weak. We're the only animal to inflict undue pain at genocidal levels. Superior indeed. Side: Me go to bank now
AHA! Correct! I was trying to keep the argument inside the Realm of Earth as it is as of November 5, 2010. Bringing in the argument of Extra-Terrestrials is something I wished to avoid do entirely to the potential of the extra-terrestrial species. It could be superior. Or we could squash them with or hands. You never know. However, I do not directly advocate actions because we can. Thats stupid. Arbitrarily. Nor do I believe in any of the negative statements you made against(me?) the nature of the creator of the question. We, as an animal species, are a singularity in that we are both self-aware and have a proven system of intellect which we use as of right now. We are arbitraily superior in tat we are the next most evolved form of all potential universal life until proven otherwise. As such, why are we not entitled to the extermination fo those that are considered leeches to the arbitrary evolutionary superior? The counter to that is we still view the animals which we would normally exterminate as both resources as fellow animals. However, when both arguments are combined, the mental weight of the former over the latter is around 60-40, giving us the arbitrary right to do what we want with the animals but also wishing for their general preservation after our own skins and middle-class items. Therefore, what we have today is an excellent balance of arguments, deeming the evil corporations and extremist Activists as outliers entirely. Side: Yeah, We're Superior!
Several things about this page and what people have posted on here. One, are those ignorant of Jesus's existence to be exempted from purgatory? I would think so, that is, if Jesus was actually the messiah. Second, if we belive it wrong to discriminate against our own species, why must we search for other targets of discrimination? Third, I do not belive in the consumption of meat, including bacon. Fourth, our nonhuman bretheren are highly capable of emotions, icluding but not limited to: Love, pain, Hate etc. Therefore, one would think inflicting pain upon those who we should be caring for would be a obvious no-no. Side: No, we're all animals.
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