Re: Re: Re: Humans, what's our value?

Posted by maxmccauley on 12-22-2007 in Are humans the most valuable organisms on the planet?

The points you make are valid but the one thing I think you are still overlooking is the different level of emotion involved. Sure, there are endangered species and people are concerned about their welfare, etc. That gets coverage, but doesn't inspire the kind of widespread emotion that an event like September 11th does. I did not know a single person who died on September 11th, 2001, not one, yet it still is one of the most devastating days I can remember from my childhood. I do not believe I am alone in holding this opinion. If 300 0 golden retrievers were targeted and killed in a terrorist bombing it would not hold the same power. This is why when you say:

"Let me ask you something, every time someone dies, are you "very, very sad"? Probably not, otherwise you'd be one of hell of a depressed individual. See how it's so easy to compare something random to something you care about and win an argument? That's precisely what you did before."

Completely invalid. I do not know when everyone dies, there are too many people. I didn't know anyone involved in Sept. 11, however, and I was still very very sad about it. It isn't random, it is a good comparison. If someone told me that either my dog died or a random (healthy, not dying anyway) person somewhere in the world, I would have to choose my dog. Human life is MORE valuable than animal life.

Your point about it being personal experience that gives not just me but everyone a greater attachment to people than humans, is right. But look at the word you used, PERSONal. It is IMPOSSIBLE to connect on the same level with an animal that one can connect with a human. Humans are inherently more able to interact and create relationships with one another.

The reasons why humans are more valuable than every other species on the planet and should be treated that way are twofold: 1. We can reason. Humans are intelligent creatures who can use logic and think about consequences of actions. We have the ability to grow far beyond this one planet and colonize space, rendering the "most valuable organisms on the planet" question moot. 2. We can empathize. Humans can feel other humans, and animals, pain. They can feel sympathy and put themselves in another person's shoes. This is what gives humans desire to help the needy and protect endangered species. These two abilities are the reason why PERSONal experience can tie humans together much closer than animals.

The very idea that we are talking about whether animals should be given equal treatment as humans is a combination of these two traits. Hypothetically, if dinosaurs ruled the earth at the time of early human existence, do you think they would be on a site like outquib.com discussing whether or not those puny little mammals should be given equal treatment? Dinosaurs cannot reason nor empathize, neither can any other creature on the planet. Humans are the sole proprietors of this ability.

Should we take care of animals? Yes. Are we on the same level as them? No way. We will share this earth with them for another few hundred years at most and then we'll, for the most part, be gone. Our potential as a species is greater than this planet can contain. They can have the earth back...we'll leave...it'll probably benefit them anyway.