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Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward
I'll give it a go. (I did this strip-down analysis at age 14). Three base questions - 1. What is inanimate and what is animate? and 2. What is sentineal and what is non-sentineal? and 3. What are my privileges and responsibilities to each class..
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I think you mean sentient ... as in able to think. There is no word "sentineal" (that I can find anyway).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward
If it not alive, it inanimate. I should have no concern about using, changing, shaping, molding, or even scrapping inanimate things. They don't feel, think or sense anything that occurs to them. They can be used anyway that need or expedience required. Misuse of inanimate items is a matter of inefficency, not immorality.
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If it is not alive it is inanimate. I'll give you that. But that is not proof that the reverse is true. That merely because it is inanimate, it is not "alive." One premise does not necessarily flow from the other.
Therefore, you should have concern about things that are inanimate, but might just be alive. For all you know, the thing is animate, but on a different time scale. People used to think of the continents as inanimate ... we now know they are anything but. And, since they are animate ... are they alive?? Probably not, but who am I to say?
Now, morality is entirely subjective. What may be moral in your (Christian??) framework of beliefs may be immoral in mine (Buddhist). There are really few rules of "morality" on which all cultures and faiths can agree.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward
Animate (but not seniental) things are alive. I may breed them or kill them (when necessary), or even use them as tools, but I try do do so in a manner that is not cruel. To me, living beings deserve that. There is enough pain in the world without my cheerfully adding more, unneccessarily. (I'm not Paingod). Please note, I kill to live - all animals do - even Bambi. A plant is every bit as much alive as deer, and eating plants does not make you less of a killer of cells.
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OK ... animate, but not sentient things are alive. So, the continents are alive? I doubt it .... but even if I were to agree that all animate objects are alive ... where do you draw the line at what is or is not sentient?? I've seen animals figure out some fairly complex problems ... I would think that means they are sentient. My own observations are being borne out every day by respected men and women of science. So, if they are shown to be sentient ... then shall we all then stop breeding them or killing them?? I rather think not ... most of the time we can't even stop killing each other.
Do you really "kill to live"?? Are you personally out there every day hunting and gathering your own food?? If so, I salute you. Most of us are just too damn lazy. We go to the grocery store and leave the dirty work to someone else.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward
Finally, sentenial beings. Do I have the right to use self-aware beings like either inanimate or animate things? I came to the conclusion of No. If I want to have priviliges of being self-aware then I must grant the same priviliges to any other self aware beings. The most important of these is the right of choice. Without choice, you might as well be a tree. And using another sentineal being as a tool denies them choice. This is the main stumbling block of all political discourses. A large group say Yes, sentinial being can be used as tools. They think it is a matter of some form of superiority to be the a tool-user rather than a tool. But they see nothing wrong with using sentineal beings as tools, and are unconcerned about the results to the tools.
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In which case, as we find out that more and more animals are sentient, and fully self-aware, then I suppose more people will have to consider turning to vegetarianism. I mean .... how could I possibly think that an ape who can feel sorry for a horse (that had a bit in its mouth) and express the fact that it thought the horse "is sad ... mouth hurts" is not self-aware?? The ability to feel empathy is a primary part of being self aware.
As for using sentient beings as "tools" ... yes, people have espoused that belief before, and sadly, still do and I'm sure they will (probably for all time). In the pre-Civil War South, and much of the world today it was (and is) called slavery. There may come a time when we recognize the treatment of some animals as just another form of slavery. I doubt it .... but I'd like to think it's possible. Although, as much as I try, I don't think I'll ever be able to pass up a good steak.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward
This is enough of a primer, i'll go into sentinal interactions another time.
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Well, as a primer, it just doesn't seem logical to me. Although, it's certainly an interesting viewpoint.