Why is human life more important than animal life?

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phil777
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05 May 2010, 7:59 am

Well, the most i heard about bears attacking humans was one barely getting away alive after his skull being somewhat chewed on. <.< (So yeah, admittedly, i'm behind in the domain.)



Wombat
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05 May 2010, 8:10 am

I think most things are relative.

I don't mind that scientists use rats or rabbits to develop new drugs to save humans.

But if there were only a hundred elephants left in Africa then I would happily shoot or hang anyone who tried to poach them for their tusks.

In that case the life of an elephant would be worth more than that of one useless thief.



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05 May 2010, 10:00 am

iamnotaparakeet wrote:
Just because humans have a concept of something does not entail that the concept is divorced from reality, unless you're a nihilist.
Yeah. What's up with people believing that just cuz something is an abstract concept, that it has no relevance to reality? Concepts are a model of reality, so to say they don't exist doesn't make sense when they are based on something that does exist in the first place.

Anyways, human life is more important than animal life because that's just the way it works. One's own species is a priority over every other species, and I'm sure animals think the same way.



PLA
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05 May 2010, 11:29 am

AceOfSpades wrote:
iamnotaparakeet wrote:
Just because humans have a concept of something does not entail that the concept is divorced from reality, unless you're a nihilist.
Yeah. What's up with people believing that just cuz something is an abstract concept, that it has no relevance to reality? Concepts are a model of reality, so to say they don't exist doesn't make sense when they are based on something that does exist in the first place.

Anyways, human life is more important than animal life because that's just the way it works. One's own species is a priority over every other species, and I'm sure animals think the same way.

Just that a concept is subjective doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. What's up with people believing that concepts must themselves be non-existant if not representing divine commands in flaming stone letters across the universe?

Yay, vague mockery. I wish I could make a point. I though that "subjective" and "abstract" were not complete and exclusive synonyms.


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Eggman
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13 May 2010, 9:19 pm

iamnotaparakeet wrote:
Just because humans have a concept of something does not entail that the concept is divorced from reality, unless you're a nihilist.
and saying you are the most important doesnt make you so, besides it seems important is being used subjectivly. objectivly id say humans arn't important


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LaPelirroja
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05 Nov 2012, 1:36 am

Human life is more important than animal life to humans because we ARE humans. We're affected the most by what happens to OUR kind. Likewise, to a horse, another horse's life is more important than a human life. Most humans have a very limited perspective, and have trouble imagining things beyond their own worldview. They believe in what the others around them believe, instead of asking themselves "Why are we believing in what we believe?"

I suppose I'm inadvertently parroting what AceOfSpades wrote a bit. Heh. *Shuffles off*



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05 Nov 2012, 1:51 am

We're the apex predators, and THAT makes us more important than animals.


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LeeAnderson
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05 Nov 2012, 1:54 am

In my opinion we're not. If we didn't have the technology we have, certain predators that are "below" us on the food chain would decimate us.



Ann2011
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05 Nov 2012, 10:37 am

PunkyKat wrote:
Why are humans oh so important? When I asked that I usualy got a religious answer about humans were created in God's image and they have "dominion" over the animals.


I really don't think we can know the image of God. God must be far more than human or animal. To create an image to capture this, I think is impossible. It is being narcissistic to think that God looks like us. But maybe I'm being too literal.

I think humans and animals are equally important; our treatment of them is a demonstration of survival of the fittest in action. I hope that our compassionate nature will lead us to dominate them in a more caring way.



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05 Nov 2012, 3:10 pm

We are humans, so yes.

If the animals were in our position, they would kill us too.


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05 Nov 2012, 3:33 pm

I suppose it's natural to favour your own species, I don't think giraffes really give much thought to how the hornbills next door are feeling.
And it's also human nature to be horridly arrogant and on our high horses. I hate this way of thinking and I try my best to avoid it, and like to see the animal kingdom as being horizontal not vertical. We all share this earth and we have our niche and are just as important as each other, even when we eat each other.


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Vexcalibur
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05 Nov 2012, 3:38 pm

Yeah well, flies will still always be these brainless beings that just annoy you. I don't think anyone believes in a horizontal jerarchy of the living. And I mean anyone. Even vegetarians are probably not really thrilled about the Hantavirus even though it is just a living being wanting to survive... And of course, even the nicest of us eats vegetables, they are living creatures too.


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MONKEY
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05 Nov 2012, 3:50 pm

Vexcalibur wrote:
Yeah well, flies will still always be these brainless beings that just annoy you. I don't think anyone believes in a horizontal jerarchy of the living. And I mean anyone. Even vegetarians are probably not really thrilled about the Hantavirus even though it is just a living being wanting to survive... And of course, even the nicest of us eats vegetables, they are living creatures too.


I said I'd like to think that, like to. I can't practice what I preach allllll the time (I do squash bugs when they scare me or get in the way, but then I think "poor thing" afterwards.) It's just nicer to think of life as being horizontal to avoid being arrogant about humans.


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Ann2011
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05 Nov 2012, 4:30 pm

I'm not going to stop eating meat; I'm a carnivore. However, I hate the way animals bred for slaughter are treated in slaughterhouses.

It was mentioned earlier that there is a scientist trying to develop meat that grows, I think, from cells, so there never is any brain or consciousness involved. This seems like a good idea especially considering the growing population. It may one day be viable to do away with the current system of animal husbandry . . .
Link: Meat from scratch

This would reduce the population of livestock, of course. Cows and sheep may only show up in hobby farms.



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05 Nov 2012, 4:59 pm

There is no such thing as inherent worth. Worth is what a human being decides it is. Hence human lives are worth more to human beings (generally, but not always).

Value is subjective.

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05 Nov 2012, 7:06 pm

It depends.Hypothetical question.
Casey Anthony or a Sea Turtle?
Which one has more right to be here?
Human life is more important because we think it is.I'm sure if you could ask an alligator it would think it's life was more important.
The sea turtle gets my vote over a woman who would kill her child and throw her out like garbage.