Human Life More Valuable than Other Animals?

[Kilgore Trout]

Does the life a human being have more intrinsic value than the life of another animal? Why/why not? Does it matter whether the other animal species is endangered or not?

If you had to choose between the death of a random human and a blue whale, which would you choose? If you had to choose between the death of a random human and a chimpanzee, which would you choose? If you had to choose between the death of a random human and your dog/cat, which would you choose? What about a cow? A rat?

 

[themadhair]

Does the life a human being have more intrinsic value than the life of another animal?

No.

Your follow-up questions appear to be blurring the distinction between intrinsic and subjective value.

/thread

 

[DallasApple]

Does the life a human being have more intrinsic value than the life of another animal? Why/why not? Does it matter whether the other animal species is endangered or not?

If you had to choose between the death of a random human and a blue whale, which would you choose? If you had to choose between the death of a random human and a chimpanzee, which would you choose? If you had to choose between the death of a random human and your dog/cat, which would you choose? What about a cow? A rat?

I wouldnt want to choose..This question has been asked a thousand times.(on this forum)

Who am I to decide a "random" humans death would not deeply affect that of the people that loved them so much more than a chimpanzee?

Have you had a parent die ? Or a sibling?

Are you a random human?

Love

Dallas

 

[Storm]

Does the life a human being have more intrinsic value than the life of another animal? Why/why not?

Intrinsic, no. Subjective, yes.

Meaning, I don't believe God values the life of a human over that of an amoeba. But we do, because it's a biological imperative.

Does it matter whether the other animal species is endangered or not?

Nope.

If you had to choose between the death of a random human and a blue whale, which would you choose? If you had to choose between the death of a random human and a chimpanzee, which would you choose? If you had to choose between the death of a random human and your dog/cat, which would you choose? What about a cow? A rat?

I'd choose the human life over any animal.

 

[Ringer]

My particual faith would lead me to chose a human being over any animal. Yes, I would probably chose to save the life of a convicted murderer before the life of my dog. It probably sounds crazy to some but it's my conviction that despite any of our defects we have intrinsic value that is different than the value of animals. My decision would definitely be harder if the animal was endangered but I would hope my decision would remain the same.

 

[tumbleweed41]

Survival of a species requires it to hold its own survival above the survival of other species.
This does not mean everyone will choose the human above the whale, as humans we also have a cognitive ability to make personal choices outside of evolutionary drives. But if it came down to the either the Blue Whale species lives, or the Human Race lives, but not both, you can be sure we would probably be living in a world with no Blue Whales.

 

[DallasApple]

I would too Storm..

Not out lack of sadness that a Blue whale would die.\\

Im sorry if human is yelling "save me" and a whale is screaming "help me" ..I will save the human .

And actually Im not sorry for that..the whale would do the same but in reverse.

"Random" humans are as "random" as the beloved random Blue whale.Or the "random" Chimp.

Im a "random' human..and I would hope that if another human saw me dying and could save me and saw a whale or a chimp dying they woudl 'instinctively" save me first.

Love

Dallas

 

[Panda]

If I had a choice to save one human or one animal, human every time.

 

[monta]

Does the life a human being have more intrinsic value than the life of another animal? Why/why not? Does it matter whether the other animal species is endangered or not?

If you had to choose between the death of a random human and a blue whale, which would you choose? If you had to choose between the death of a random human and a chimpanzee, which would you choose? If you had to choose between the death of a random human and your dog/cat, which would you choose? What about a cow? A rat?

If I had to chose between giving an extra hours life to person I don't know and who was dying anyway and my cat (who despite our arguments, I am really quite fond of ) I would choose the persons life over the cat.

If I had to choose between the extinction of an animal and the life of a human, it gets more difficult, but I would still choose the person, at least I think I would.

Furthermore if I had to chose between a person losing the use of their legs and my cats life I would still choose the person over the cat.

It's not that I think humans are more important per se, just that they are more important to me.

 

[Nepenthe]

Does the life a human being have more intrinsic value than the life of another animal?

No, not intrinsically. but as a Homo sapiens my kinship with humans will likely win in comparisons like these.

Why/why not?

'Cause we're all composed of the same building blocks and have all occupied our environmental niche(s).

Does it matter whether the other animal species is endangered or not?

I don't think so.

If you had to choose between the death of a random human and a blue whale, which would you choose? If you had to choose between the death of a random human and a chimpanzee, which would you choose? If you had to choose between the death of a random human and your dog/cat, which would you choose? What about a cow? A rat?

Random death? I'd choose the non-human animal every time.
Now if it were my dog and I could choose, well, Pandas would be extinct.

 

[DallasApple]

If I had to chose between giving an extra hours life to person I don't know and who was dying anyway and my cat (who despite our arguments, I am really quite fond of ) I would choose the persons life over the cat.

If I had to choose between the extinction of an animal and the life of a human, it gets more difficult, but I would still choose the person, at least I think I would.

Furthermore if I had to chose between a person losing the use of their legs and my cats life I would still choose the person over the cat.

It's not that I think humans are more important per se, just that they are more important to me.

right..

What would we do alone with no other humans but all the other animals?

LOVE animals..I deliberately try and attract hummingbirds and such to my house..(you should see them..they are AWESOME)..

I have dogs I have spent a LOT of money on trying to save them when they were sick..ETC,,,(I've given a dog mouth to mouth for air)

But if pushed came to shove?..I would slaughter my dogs to feed my children.(if we were starving)..I wouldnt slauther my children (or even a random stranger) to keep my dog alive.

Thats only if pushed came to shove.Sorry if that makes me biased..Actually Im not sorry..Its just what it is.

Love

Dallas

 

[monta]

right..

What would we do alone with no other humans but all the other animals?

LOVE animals..I deliberately try and attract hummingbirds and such to my house..(you should see them..they are AWESOME)..

I have dogs I have spent a LOT of money on trying to save them when they were sick..ETC,,,(I've given a dog mouth to mouth for air)

But if pushed came to shove?..I would slaughter my dogs to feed my children.(if we were starving)..I wouldnt slauther my children (or even a random stranger) to keep my dog alive.

Thats only if pushed came to shove.Sorry if that makes me biased..Actually Im not sorry..It just what it is.

Love

Dallas

I have a soft spot for crows myself, it is the one thing that creeps me out about other countries they seem to have pigeons in the city instead of crows.

I agree with you I would kill my cat to feed myself even though I wouldn't get much more than a pot of soup from the old wagon.

 

[Nepenthe]

Sheesh, did this thread become the sequel to The Road or something....?
Crows and ravens are eerily smart. I absolutely love 'em.

But the OP... species are hardwired to have more empathy for animals that are more closely related. Kinship bonds and the fact we'd be more horrified to see a chimpanzee raiding party killing and eating a newborn chimp than we would over seeing a spider eat a fly is genetic.
I'd be surprised if those who'd choose non-humans over humans lives isn't a tiny minority.

 

[DallasApple]

I have a soft spot for crows myself, it is the one thing that creeps me out about other countries they seem to have pigeons in the city instead of crows.

I agree with you I would kill my cat to feed myself even though I wouldn't get much more than a pot of soup from the old wagon.

LOL!!!(its not really funny)

If I thought my 17 year old cat would only get me a couple days and I would die anyway after that?

I would die with her..The hunger pains go away actually..(I would kill the younger ones and me and Mama kitty would eat them! LOL!)

Love

Dallas

 

[DallasApple]

I have a soft spot for crows myself, it is the one thing that creeps me out about other countries they seem to have pigeons in the city instead of crows.

I agree with you I would kill my cat to feed myself even though I wouldn't get much more than a pot of soup from the old wagon.

CAW CAW!!!

CA CAW !!!

SHREEK CAWW!

CAWWW!!

Love

Dallas