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About Me:
The ethics of speciesism
What is speciesism?
'Speciesism' is the idea that being human is a good enough reason for human animals to have greater moral rights than non-human animals, a prejudice or bias in favour of the interests of members of one's own species and against those of members of other species.
Speciesism and bigotry
Speciesism is often condemned as the same sort of bigotry as racism or sexism.
People who oppose speciesiesm say that giving human beings greater rights than non-human animals is as arbitrary (and as morally wrong) as giving white people greater rights than non-white people.
NB: Those working for racial or sexual equality often find this comparison insulting - they say that their struggle for equality has a moral and social importance that animal rights can never have.
Speciesism is common
Most people, faced with a difficult choice between a human and an animal, would probably react in a speciesist (or 'homocentric') way.
Consider this example:
A child and a dog are trapped in a fire. You can only save one of them. Which will you save?
Most people don't have to think about this for even one second.
Most people don't consider the relative moral status of the dog and the child relevant to their choice.
Society would condemn anyone who delayed in order to consider the correct moral choice.
Pure speciesism
Pure speciesism carries the idea of human superiority to the extreme, by saying that the most trivial human wish is more important that the vital needs of other species... for example a pure speciesist would argue that it's ok for animals to be cruelly treated and killed to provide fur decorations for human beings to wear.
Few people take speciesism to this length. More commonly, they say that all other things being more or less equal, it's morally correct to take the human side when considering an ethical issue.
Species is not a moral factor
People who object to speciesism say that a difference of species is not a morally relevant difference - in the same way that a difference of race is not a morally relevant difference between human beings.
They say that speciesism amounts to treating morally similar individuals in morally different ways for an irrelevant reason.
Justifying speciesism
Supporters of speciesism say that there is a clear difference between humans and other species, and that this difference affects their moral status.
They argue that human beings are more self-aware, and more able to choose their own course of action than other animals. This, they say, enables them to think and act morally, and so entitles them to a higher moral status.
But the argument that there are morally relevant differences between human animals and non-human animals is not a speciesist argument, since the argument is about the particular characteristics that are being put forward to justify the different moral status of human and non-human animals.
Speciesism as 'natural'
One argument in favour of speciesism is that it is biologically natural to treat one's own species favorably. Virtually all non-human animals treat members of their own species better than those of other species.
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What is the significance of life? What is the significance of doing what we do day to day? Where is mankind going as a whole? We live and so we do. Because we are alive, we put ourselves in motion. There are so many people, so many paths, and yet each of us can only choose one path. So where do we go? What do we do? We are each a leaf, blowing through the winds of life. We look for meaning in the things we do, so that we will have purpose. Life is the blink of an eye.
"More people would learn from their mistakes if they weren't so busy denying them." - Harold J. Smith
"Follow the three R's: Respect for self, respect for others and responsibility for all your actions."- Dali Lama
"Knowing others is wisdom; Knowing the self is enlightenment." - Tao Te Ching
Suffering only hurts because you fear it.
Suffering only hurts because you complain about it.
It pursues you because you flee from it.
You must not flee, you must not complain, you must not fear. You must love.
You know all this yourself, you know quite well, deep within you, that there is a single magic, a single power, a single salvation, and a single happiness, and that is called loving.
Well then, love your suffering. Do not resist it, do not flee it.
Taste how sweet it is in its essence, give yourself to it, do not meet it with aversion.
It is only your aversion that hurts, nothing else.
(German poet, Hermann Hesse)
Country:
United Kingdom
Schools:
London School Of Economics.
Interests:
Animal Rights, Astronomy, Biocentrism, Cosmology, Enviromental Science, Martial Arts, Natural History, Psychology, Philosophy, Speciesism, Spirituality, Sociology, Science Fiction Films.
Movies:
Aliens (1986), Blade Runner (1982), Close Encounters Of The Third KInd (1976), Event Horizon (1997), Enter the Dragon (1973), Independence Day (1996), Knowing (2009), Kiss of the Dragon (2001), Lord of the Rings Trilogy: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Two Towers (2002), The Return of the King (2003), Predator (1987) Predator 2 (1990), Star Trek - The Motion Picture (1979), Star Trek II - The Wrath Of Khan (1982), Star Trek IV - The Voyage Home (1986), The Shining (1980), The Terminator (1984) Terminator 2 - Judgment Day (1991) The Thing (1982), Waterloo (1970), Zulu (1964).
Music:
Ambient, Dark-Ambient, Enigma, Harold Faltermeyer. Space Music, Trance, Progressive Trance, Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk, Jean Michel Jarre, John Carpenter And Alan Howarth, 80's Music, Movie Soundtracks, Vangelis/
Books:
A Brief History of Time by: Stephen Hawking (1988) Cosmos by: Dr Carl Sagan (1980)
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Thank you for your visit on my channel!
You have a wonderful nature background picture from the light throuh
the forest!
Wish you a perfect day!
~ Andrea(:-)
Nice greeting Regina
wishing you a beautiful 2o12 fun and happyness
warm greetings Rossita
This video is wonderful. Thank you.
Veronica:-)