The Human Animal (Animals)

by dhw, Saturday, June 05, 2010, 11:07 (5284 days ago) @ George Jelliss

GEORGE: I think we have to be realistic in our relations with animals, and recognise that we like them are part of the food chain. It is a part of being human that we recognise our animal nature, and try to come to terms with it, although we may aspire to become some form of higher angelic incorporeal being, we cannot escape the heritage of evolution and our material nature.-David agrees with George, and so do I. My post is not a plea for veganism or for the extremism of some religions, philosophies and animals rights movements. I eat fish and poultry, and if I'm attacked by a mosquito at dead of night, I become a ruthless hunter until the dreaded whine is stilled for ever. But where do we draw the line which the Buddha said should not be drawn?-I would draw it at the infliction of unnecessary suffering. I accept that, as David says, animals "do not have the level of consciousness and introspective ability that we humans have", as clearly they have not made the technological and cultural advances that we have, but that does not mean they are any the less sensitive to pain or other forms of trauma, both physical and mental. For that reason I would, for instance, ban blood sports and any type of farming that puts animals under stress. -The review I quoted contains the following observation: "Balcombe devotes a couple of chapters to dismissing the myth that nature is a cruel and bloody place where violence lurks at every corner. Most of the time, he says, animals lead peaceful, calm and enjoyable lives. The most violent creature on the planet is, of course, us."-If we consider the Seven Deadly Sins that underlie much of our violence, how many of them can be attributed to animals? (To save you racking your brains, they are wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy and gluttony.) -But we humans aren't all bad, are we? So to redress the balance, here's a challenge: compile a list of Seven Saving Graces, which ideally should be qualities unique to humans.