Comments on: Animal rights (Pollan) http://www.fireandknowledge.org/archives/2008/01/10/animal-rights-pollan/ A web site by Joshua Sowin that addresses culture, books, technology, ecology, religion, and other topics. Fri, 21 Nov 2008 06:16:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: Eric Brown http://www.fireandknowledge.org/archives/2008/01/10/animal-rights-pollan/#comment-61167 Eric Brown Thu, 17 Jan 2008 14:22:39 +0000 http://www.fireandknowledge.org/archives/2008/01/10/animal-rights-pollan/#comment-61167 What do you mean by "being more civil" and extending "compassion to all other creatures," Tracy? Do you mean simply that it's good for us to slit an animal's throat so that it can die quickly as opposed to tearing into its hind quarters while it slowly dies (as would happen with animal predators)? Also, how does "having evolved" to a point bring responsibility? If we "got here" simply by random selection, survival of the fittest, etc. (i.e. evolution), why do we all of a sudden need to concern ourselves with right (i.e. responsible) and wrong continuing evolution. As far as evolution goes, it's right to eat; it's wrong to be eaten. That's essentially the whole rule book, isn't it? What do you mean by “being more civil” and extending “compassion to all other creatures,” Tracy? Do you mean simply that it’s good for us to slit an animal’s throat so that it can die quickly as opposed to tearing into its hind quarters while it slowly dies (as would happen with animal predators)?

Also, how does “having evolved” to a point bring responsibility? If we “got here” simply by random selection, survival of the fittest, etc. (i.e. evolution), why do we all of a sudden need to concern ourselves with right (i.e. responsible) and wrong continuing evolution. As far as evolution goes, it’s right to eat; it’s wrong to be eaten. That’s essentially the whole rule book, isn’t it?

]]> By: Tracy http://www.fireandknowledge.org/archives/2008/01/10/animal-rights-pollan/#comment-60446 Tracy Thu, 10 Jan 2008 17:43:44 +0000 http://www.fireandknowledge.org/archives/2008/01/10/animal-rights-pollan/#comment-60446 There's really nothing ironic about that. We _do_ share a lot with animals. But we have evolved (or should have evolved) to a place where we can be more civil to all animals. For example, if I see someone in a restaurant eating something that I want, I don't go over and fight the person for it. Because we have evolved to be more civil, it is our responsibility to extend compassion to all other creatures. There’s really nothing ironic about that. We _do_ share a lot with animals. But we have evolved (or should have evolved) to a place where we can be more civil to all animals. For example, if I see someone in a restaurant eating something that I want, I don’t go over and fight the person for it. Because we have evolved to be more civil, it is our responsibility to extend compassion to all other creatures.

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