Based on the research I've seen and even some personal experience, it seems that a wide range of animals are able to feel a wide variety of what we as humans know of as emotions. What and how profoundly obviously varies by animal. Certainly creatures like cats, dogs, parrots, elephants, etc., seem to have the ability to learn, comprehend, remember and emote, and can certainly express sorrow, particularly over a loss. Certain other creatures seem to have simpler emotional and mental states. It is a tough call either way, however, as not only are we not necessarily the best judges of mental and emotional states in other species, we may not even be able to systemize how we determine that (it may be philosophically subjective).
The more basic point though is one of death itself. Whether an animal is killed humanely or inhumanely, the end result is still a dead and consumed animal. Certainly no innocent creature should be tortured, however, even if it is destined for the dinner table. It's a bad way to exist as a creature of the universe as it were. Call it bad karma, bad religous practice, bad feelings, whatever, it's just not right. Again, though, it doesn't mean that eating another creature is necessarily wrong. After all, in all forms of the definition, plants are alive as well. No creature can survive without some type of food store, and that food source - for life on earth as we know it - has to have some type of organic component, whether its inert or active. With that in mind, I'm perfectly fine in all ways with eating both animal and plant life, since that's what I feel I'm designed for. I just choose to do so in a healthy manner, which is independent of the deeper argument.
Wii: 1345 2773 2048 1586 | PS3: ArmchairArcade Bill Loguidice, Managing Director | Armchair Arcade, Inc.
*************************** Bill Loguidice, Managing Director
Armchair Arcade, Inc.
Based on the research I've seen and even some personal experience, it seems that a wide range of animals are able to feel a wide variety of what we as humans know of as emotions. What and how profoundly obviously varies by animal. Certainly creatures like cats, dogs, parrots, elephants, etc., seem to have the ability to learn, comprehend, remember and emote, and can certainly express sorrow, particularly over a loss. Certain other creatures seem to have simpler emotional and mental states. It is a tough call either way, however, as not only are we not necessarily the best judges of mental and emotional states in other species, we may not even be able to systemize how we determine that (it may be philosophically subjective).
The more basic point though is one of death itself. Whether an animal is killed humanely or inhumanely, the end result is still a dead and consumed animal. Certainly no innocent creature should be tortured, however, even if it is destined for the dinner table. It's a bad way to exist as a creature of the universe as it were. Call it bad karma, bad religous practice, bad feelings, whatever, it's just not right. Again, though, it doesn't mean that eating another creature is necessarily wrong. After all, in all forms of the definition, plants are alive as well. No creature can survive without some type of food store, and that food source - for life on earth as we know it - has to have some type of organic component, whether its inert or active. With that in mind, I'm perfectly fine in all ways with eating both animal and plant life, since that's what I feel I'm designed for. I just choose to do so in a healthy manner, which is independent of the deeper argument.
Wii: 1345 2773 2048 1586 | PS3: ArmchairArcade
Bill Loguidice, Managing Director | Armchair Arcade, Inc.
***************************
Bill Loguidice, Managing Director
Armchair Arcade, Inc.