Sunday, July 09, 2006
animals are machines made of meat.
They do not suffer, at least not in any way commensurable to human experience. Certainly, they have souls [read yr Aristotle]. Having a "soul" merely means that it can move of its own power [it doesn't even necessarily mean the thing is alive only when it has a soul, which is why most modern propagandistic pro-abortion readings of ancient medical texts are irresponsible]. Beware of anybody with too strong an attachment to their pets.
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5 comments:
Yes, we should remember that. Yet it's only human to ascribe more to an animal than it really has. We treat our pets affectionately because their reactions seem like analogues to human reactions; and that's proper so long as our animals don't become substitutes for the place of other people in our lives. And while animals don't suffer (suffering =/= pain), to perpetrate upon an animal is subjectively very like being cruel to a person (and thus I note, as many have, that animal abuse is a common precursor to violence against people).
I know you know this; your post just sounds more radical than it really is, I think.
Yes, I quite agree. Cruelty to animals is a grievous sin, but because of what it does to us rather than what it does to animals.
Of course, your main point totally stands. I made the mistake of reading Dear Abby today (it's really sad where Abby's daughter has taken it), and it was reaction letters to the claim that some people treat their pets with more love than their children.
"Pets don't talk back, refuse to be helpful or ask for money. All they want is love and food. They don't ask where you've been and they're always happy when you come home. Their love is unconditional."
I need to make a T-shirt that says "Your dog can't actually love you." I'll only do that once I become invincible, though; pet people can get pretty vicious.
i for one would also go for the t-shirt.
No, no, I don't want the death threats that would come with selling such shirts. But anyone who wants to make them can go ahead, and if they should give me a free one for thinking of it, that would be awesome.
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