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Question: A hyptheotical question!?
I was watching a movie last night, and by the time I finished it my mind was wondering on a great philosophical question!.
As a race, us humans have always exerted our dominance over the lesser animals of the world, so that we and our children might be safe!. Where I live, there is absolutely no dangerous animals at all anymore!. No bears, mountain lions, panthers, wild cats, or even poisonous snakes!. As a child, I remember there being a pack of feral dogs around that we had to watch out for, but they were eventually hunted and killed off!. Now, the most dangerous thing around where I live is the dreaded bunny rabbits for the ticks they carry on themselves!.
As a species, us humans have enslaved or entrapped every other species on the planet!. Animals are either used for work (horses, oxen, hunting/rescue dogs), pets (cats, dogs, hamsters), food and produce (cows, pigs, sheep); or else they're partitioned off from us in zoos or designated wilderness areas!.
We've established our mastery over all the other species on the planet!.
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But did we have a right to do that!? If so, then what right was that!? Just the fact that we're stronger, smarter, and more adaptable!?
If a disease was to break out and threaten the human race, and the only way for us to survive was to harvest all the (imaginary medical organs) from all the monkeys in the world, would we be wrong to destroy them so that we could live!?
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Now, take this imagining one step further!. There's always debate on whether or not alien life exists elsewhere in the universe!. Let's just assume for this debate that it does!.
If the Alienokes (Alien Folks) could travel all the way to our planet, via their advanced technology, would it be wrong if they had to harvest all of US to survive!?
Monkeys are less intelligent than us, but they do have intelligence!. We would be less intelligent than the Alienokes, but we're not completely stupid either!. If we'd be willing to harvest all the monkeys so that we could live as a species, how could we get upset if the Alienokes harvested us!?
What's your thoughts, guys!? (And gals too!)
How the heck could we expect any alien life form to treat us with respect and kindness, when we don't seem to show those traits to the creatures lesser than ourselves!?Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Interesting point; it kind of points to moral relativism!. If "the only way" to survive was to kill off all of another species, then from a human perspective, we would be justified in doing whatever was necesary to survive!. The monkeys would think it was pretty horrible and immoral, though!. If the Alienokes needed to kill off all of humanity to survive, it wouldn't be wrong from their perspective, but it would from ours!.
The fact is, there is no moral absolute in nature (or in realpolitik)!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Indeed manking had over populated themselves destroying the very balance of nature!. it is because makind could do so, and they did so!. If higher intelligent beings come to earth, it shall also be natural for them to over populate thesmselves and push mankind to underground!.
Some hard truths indeed!Www@QuestionHome@Com
The assumption here is that we, as a group, would be judged as a group!. My assertion is that I am an individual and that I create my own reality totally and completely!. Using that as a reference, your scenario doesn't apply because I am was never a participant of most issues you discribe here!.
However, assuming (As in this particular hypothetical question) that group morality over rides individual belief and that past deeds done as a group are judged by some external standard of assumed social agreements, then the actions of Alienokes would still be upsetting, so we (as a species) better get busy finding them alternatives! :-)Www@QuestionHome@Com
So, we are to the monkeys, as the alienokes are to us, huh!? If we are to escape the food chain, I've got a suggestion: why don't we make a deal with the alienokes that we'd harvest those monkeys and give it to them and ask them alien blokes to leave us alone, OK!?Www@QuestionHome@Com
Well, we are omnivores by nature, and natural law is not always pretty!. But there's overkill, for sure!.
Some of us take the time and effort to ensure humane conditions, practice vegetarianism or join PETA, etc!. I don't stand in the way of a farmer slaughtering his chicken, but I object when I see someone kick a dog!. The difference shouldn't be whether it's a cute critter (awww the baby seals!.!.!. but nobody's freaking over shark finning which is at least as inhumane as a club) but rather, whether it's necessary and moderate!.
The human species wants to take on the role of planetary overlord!.!.!. OK, then along with deciding what lives and what's extinct, we get climate control and stem cell research and all sorts of housekeeping!. And I think as a species, we're coming around to that - we preserve endangered animals and cull the overpopulated!.
Hopefully these aliens of yours would do the same - not destroy us all but sure, by our lights a greater species would take the right to decide the fate of the lesser!. Aboriginal peoples the world over would say, been there and seen it!Www@QuestionHome@Com
I agree with your premise, in that we don't appear to have the right to do as much damage as we do!. We do have a right to eat, and to live relatively comfortably (as any animal would attempt to do) but we do way too much destruction as a species!.
However, I would suggest that if any of the animals that we use (abuse) were to say "please don't do that!" we would listen!. If aliens came here they would presumably have a decipherable language or some other way to communicate!.!.!.!. in which case we would ask them not to destroy us!.
Doing harm to an animal that is communicative (even a lesser animal) is a greater step in cruelty and malevolence then doing so against animals that lack that ability!. At least in my eyes!. If a mouse asked me to give him cheese, I would do so!.!.!.!.!.!. I would make sure that the little critter was able to live because it showed signs of definitive intelligence!.
Basically we can be reasoned with, and are willing to compromise!.!.!.!.!. animals can't!. If we could tell lions not to attack us then we wouldn't have to segregate them from us!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
look at it this way!.!.!. we're practically all animals!. survival of the fittest!. you have to do what you have to do to survive at expense of the weak though its gotten ridiculously selfish and out of hand!. i don't think i'm like that though!.!.!. i let my dog do pretty much whatever it wants, so i guess not everyone is like that!.
as for creatures that are more intelligent then us and us being like monkeys to them watch this movie it is exactly about that!. lots of answers!.
http://www!.imdb!.com/title/tt0822808/
http://youtube!.com/watch!?v=ys8AkwMRvgoWww@QuestionHome@Com