Quote:
Quote by: Technosoul  If you eat a living plant are you sure it is dead before you bite into it? Did you know that plants are aware of what is happening? |
Surely, we're not debating that plants are entitled to civil rights? That would be completely stupid. Of course they don't. They don't think. They don't reason. They don't communicate.
It seems like we should be debating whether or not killing animals for enjoyment is right or wrong. If that's the debate, I have to say that no animal-- not even an entire population of animals -- is equal to one of any of the least of the human species. It is a grim reflection on our human culture that we question the rights of animals to their life, but deny the rights of fellow men.
I suppose my point is thus: What is the difference between a cow and a human?
Let's explore that:
A cow is not a human. It is not of the species
Homo sapiens. It does not "think" or "reason" beyond a limited scope, and no amount of bovine physical or mental development will render a cow able to do think or reason. Cows were domesticated by humans. Cows have been consumed by humans for food for thousands of years.
Humans
are human. They
are of the species
Homo sapiens. They
are able to think and reason -- to extreme degrees -- and from the womb, display faculties to develop mental capacities surpassing the smartest of lesser species. Humans
domesticated cows. We have been eating them for food for thousands of years. There will never be a Great Cow Rebellion, where frustrated members of some factious Bovine Alliance will rise up against the tyrannical oppression of the "greater species."
Animals serve a succint purpose: they create a food chain. At the bottom of the food chain, dirt is eaten by worms. At the top,
everything palatable is eaten by humans. We are THE apex predator. Generally speaking, we always have been. No one can reasonably contend that your average human technology is threatened by your average primate technology.
Look at it like this: predators are equipped with weapons by nature. All of our are. Lions have big, pointy teeth. Tigers have big, pointy claws. Sharks have a whole bunch of big, pointy teeth. Humans have intellects. Humans have the capacity to
create weapons. That is our greatest weapon: our intellect. Our minds place us atop any food chain.
Cows did not invent the wheel.
Pigs did not harness fire.
Deer did not invent automobiles.
Rabbits did not build cities.
Monkies did not put a man on the moon.
Donkeys did not elect George W. Bush president.
(Elephants did.)