OK, my evidence against humans as 'top dog'.

[Mock Turtle]

Apropos to a recent image I posted (*), and which I suspect captures essentially what children (most at least) feel towards much wildlife, especially the more appealing, it does seem that an affinity towards non-human life is rather inbuilt in children. So why, if humans are the 'supreme creation of God' would children naturally be so affectionate and loving towards non-human life? Perhaps they instinctively know we are related? Even as adults, we too still are very much attached to non-human life and often give them as much respect as we might give to human life. Many humans in fact do die trying to protect or save the lives of those non-humans with whom they are bonded. I know there is the 'baby schema' which might explain our attraction to many animals (especially the young), but surely it is more about how we, and children, interact with other life and how we do tend to acknowledge that we are all just part of the same thing (life, and its development) - which unfortunately, religions often seem to try to cleave us away from - us being the 'chosen ones'.

* Look, look the devil incarnate! | Religious Forums (second image)

 

[Epic Beard Man]

Apropos to a recent image I posted (*), and which I suspect captures essentially what children (most at least) feel towards much wildlife, especially the more appealing, it does seem that an affinity towards non-human life is rather inbuilt in children. So why, if humans are the 'supreme creation of God' would children naturally be so affectionate and loving towards non-human life?

I have to respectfully disagree. Although I like to believe most if not all children are "good" from a metaphysical standpoint due to being instilled with a soul by their Creator, all human children are born with a Tabula Rasa or, blank slate. Children are conditioned to think certain animals (even dangerous ones like Lions) are cute and cuddly based on interactive material introduced to them to which they are conditioned. Cartoons, for example, can introduce positive stimuli in a child's cognition to where their perception of a specific animal would be positive based on the association of that cartoon. The same can be said about dogs, cats, elephants, skunks (e.g. Pepe Le Pew) any creature that is portrayed positively and interactively with the child will be perceived positively by children and if toys resembling these animals are introduced, this reinforces the positive perception a child has of that creature. It is only until they develop into adolescents then teens when they can make distinctions between animals and animal behavior. Same thing with dinosaurs. We are introduced to dinosaur cartoons where a friendly T-Rex tries to help his buddies like the Pterodactyl and Raptor get home. But in reality, I would hardly think during their periods on Earth a child would have affection to these creatures.

Even as adults, we too still are very much attached to non-human life and often give them as much respect as we might give to human life. Many humans in fact do die trying to protect or save the lives of those non-humans with whom they are bonded. I know there is the 'baby schema' which might explain our attraction to many animals (especially the young), but surely it is more about how we, and children, interact with other life and how we do tend to acknowledge that we are all just part of the same thing (life, and its development) - which, unfortunately, religions often seem to try to leave us away from - us being the 'chosen ones.

Like many creatures who have social bonds with members of the same species we humans also create human and non-human bonds based on our interactions. Dogs that stray into traffic often are met with cars that slow down so it doesn't get hit is due to our understanding of the sentience of dogs. We know dogs can experience pain and we attach a certain moral law behind that because our perceptions of dogs are positive whereas if a diamondback rattlesnake wandered into traffic I would fail to see any cars stop traffic to let it cross due to our negative perceptions of some snakes.

 

[Mock Turtle]

I have to respectfully disagree. Although I like to believe most if not all children are "good" from a metaphysical standpoint due to being instilled with a soul by their Creator, all human children are born with a Tabula Rasa or, blank slate. Children are conditioned to think certain animals (even dangerous ones like Lions) are cute and cuddly based on interactive material introduced to them to which they are conditioned. Cartoons, for example, can introduce positive stimuli in a child's cognition to where their perception of a specific animal would be positive based on the association of that cartoon. The same can be said about dogs, cats, elephants, skunks (e.g. Pepe Le Pew) any creature that is portrayed positively and interactively with the child will be perceived positively by children and if toys resembling these animals are introduced, this reinforces the positive perception a child has of that creature. It is only until they develop into adolescents then teens when they can make distinctions between animals and animal behavior. Same thing with dinosaurs. We are introduced to dinosaur cartoons where a friendly T-Rex tries to help his buddies like the Pterodactyl and Raptor get home. But in reality, I would hardly think during their periods on Earth a child would have affection to these creatures.

I think the 'blank slate' has been disproved (to my mind at least), although I do realise that most children will be brought up associating various animals as being 'cuddly companions', but one only has to observe so many children and the young of so many other species to see they are not necessarily conditioned into such but naturally feel affectionate towards them. But my argument is not necessarily one I would rigorously defend.

Like many creatures who have social bonds with members of the same species we humans also create human and non-human bonds based on our interactions. Dogs that stray into traffic often are met with cars that slow down so it doesn't get hit is due to our understanding of the sentience of dogs. We know dogs can experience pain and we attach a certain moral law behind that because our perceptions of dogs are positive whereas if a diamondback rattlesnake wandered into traffic I would fail to see any cars stop traffic to let it cross due to our negative perceptions of some snakes.

Well we adults have gotten over our more natural feelings perhaps - given that we do tend to recognise the more dangerous ones from those not so.

 

[Audie]

I think the 'blank slate' has been disproved (to my mind at least), although I do realise that most children will be brought up associating various animals as being 'cuddly companions', but one only has to observe so many children and the young of so many other species to see they are not necessarily conditioned into such but naturally feel affectionate towards them. But my argument is not necessarily one I would rigorously defend.

Well we adults have gotten over our more natural feelings perhaps - given that we do tend to recognise the more dangerous ones from those not so.

You rite him rong.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Well we adults have gotten over our more natural feelings perhaps - given that we do tend to recognise the more dangerous ones from those not so.

Unfortunately not everyone.

Cute cuddly Chimp. Meet face.

 

[Mock Turtle]

Unfortunately not everyone.

Cute cuddly Chimp. Meet face.

Expectations of humans all too often at fault here, as to anthropomorphizing their behaviour with regards as to what we might expect of other humans. Get educated is what I would advocate.

 

[PureX]

I think the 'blank slate' has been disproved (to my mind at least), although I do realise that most children will be brought up associating various animals as being 'cuddly companions', but one only has to observe so many children and the young of so many other species to see they are not necessarily conditioned into such but naturally feel affectionate towards them. But my argument is not necessarily one I would rigorously defend.

Well we adults have gotten over our more natural feelings perhaps - given that we do tend to recognise the more dangerous ones from those not so.

I think it is clear from the behavior of sociopathic humans that empathy is not just a "nurture" result. That it does have a bio-structural component.

 

[Epic Beard Man]

I think the 'blank slate' has been disproved (to my mind at least)

Hmmm it appears you're right:

"The blank slate, the dominant theory of human nature in modern intellectual life stating that humans are shaped entirely by their experiences and not by any preexisting biological mechanisms, is being challenged and soundly trounced by the cognitive, neural, and genetic sciences, said Steven Pinker, Harvard University, in his Keynote Address."

Empirical Science for the Spotless Mind

However, you'd be hard press to show if there is a natural inclination of children naturally gravitating towards animals outside social conditioning. As one here put it, there are those who develop anti-social personality disorders.

Antisocial Behavior: In Children

 

[Epic Beard Man]

Unfortunately not everyone.

Cute cuddly Chimp. Meet face.

Damn I feel bad. I kinda chuckled the way you worded it. I remember that

 

[Mock Turtle]

Hmmm it appears you're right:

"The blank slate, the dominant theory of human nature in modern intellectual life stating that humans are shaped entirely by their experiences and not by any preexisting biological mechanisms, is being challenged and soundly trounced by the cognitive, neural, and genetic sciences, said Steven Pinker, Harvard University, in his Keynote Address."

Empirical Science for the Spotless Mind

However, you'd be hard press to show if there is a natural inclination of children naturally gravitating towards animals outside social conditioning. As one here put it, there are those who develop anti-social personality disorders.

Antisocial Behavior: In Children

Well I must admit my post was a bit whimsical, being perhaps opposed to the belief that we might all be born to some belief in God, and where so many here on RF apparently still don't see us connected to any other primates and might see humans as some sort of pinnacle of creation.

I think the anti-social behaviour can often be put down to poor parenting or poor environment, and is unlikely to be inbuilt, apart from those who are born with some kind of issue - mental or otherwise.