4 ms·

Are animals people? For most of human history, the answer has been no. I'm sure that there have always been humans that thought of their favorite animals as pe

by csours 4y ago

Are animals people? For most of human history, the answer has been no. I'm sure that there have always been humans that thought of their favorite animals as people (or similar), but the scientific and social acceptance of animals having consciousness and emotions similar to humans is VERY recent. Look at the pushback that Jane Goodall got for her research for context. Anyway, I don't have a good ethical argument in favor of eating animal, other than history and my personal rights. This is similar to my feelings on abortion - women have personal rights, but other than that, abortion is not good. I'm sure people will have problems with these statements, but please consider that I am not trying to change your mind or morality.

bambax 4y ago
Animals aren't people, but people are animals. Animals aren't cows, or crabs. Some animals are cows; some other animals are people.
- csours 4y ago
  Some humans treat some dogs like they treat people, or even better than they treat people. It's very normal and common to treat a pet dog better than a human stranger. Many animals are at least as smart as dogs; however dogs seem to have distinct abilities in understanding and empathising with humans (because they have been bred to do so). Animals have some of the same rights as humans - it's illegal to torture animals for instance. I'm not making a strong argument that animals ARE people, because I don't have a strong belief that animals are people; but some people do have that strong belief, and I feel like history will be on their side.
  - bambax 4y ago
    I didn't mean to say that "people are animals" in the sense that they are mean, or bad; just that humans are one species among many other species. People are one kind of animal, as are all other species. Animals certainly aren't people; cows are cows, people are people, and we are all animals. Also, it's not actually illegal to torture animals. It's illegal to torture some animals, sometimes. It's not illegal to pile up lobsters, a non-social and fiercely territorial creature, in small tanks, for months, and eventually boiling them alive, or to keep sows in confined spaces where they spend their whole life giving birth from constant artificial insemination, and crushing their pups because there's no room. Etc.
    - csours 4y ago
      Fair.

by csours 4y ago

bambax 4y ago

Animals aren't people, but people are animals. Animals aren't cows, or crabs. Some animals are cows; some other animals are people.

csours 4y ago
Some humans treat some dogs like they treat people, or even better than they treat people. It's very normal and common to treat a pet dog better than a human stranger. Many animals are at least as smart as dogs; however dogs seem to have distinct abilities in understanding and empathising with humans (because they have been bred to do so). Animals have some of the same rights as humans - it's illegal to torture animals for instance. I'm not making a strong argument that animals ARE people, because I don't have a strong belief that animals are people; but some people do have that strong belief, and I feel like history will be on their side.
- bambax 4y ago
  I didn't mean to say that "people are animals" in the sense that they are mean, or bad; just that humans are one species among many other species. People are one kind of animal, as are all other species. Animals certainly aren't people; cows are cows, people are people, and we are all animals. Also, it's not actually illegal to torture animals. It's illegal to torture some animals, sometimes. It's not illegal to pile up lobsters, a non-social and fiercely territorial creature, in small tanks, for months, and eventually boiling them alive, or to keep sows in confined spaces where they spend their whole life giving birth from constant artificial insemination, and crushing their pups because there's no room. Etc.
  - csours 4y ago
    Fair.