Dolphins voting you say. Obama, to the aquarium!
Dolphins deserve same rights as humans, say scientists
11–20 of 196 posts
Re: Dolphins deserve same rights as humans, say scientists
#12Sorry, but I'm going to need a Dolphin declaration of independence, armed revolution and ability to self sustain through value creation first.
I think it could easily be argued that the dolphins' way of life is more sustainable than ours... Probably not the best line of argument!
Re: Dolphins deserve same rights as humans, say scientists
#13Rights come with Obligations, so as long as they pay their taxes too, I'm OK with this
The UN has said that broadband Internet is a basic human right. This is starting to get difficult.
Internet access is a basic human right because it vastly improves the quality of human life.
Would internet access be a basic dolphin right? They didn't build it...
Re: Dolphins deserve same rights as humans, say scientists
#14>> They believe dolphins and whales are sufficiently intelligent to justify the same ethical considerations as humans. I don't have a problem with extending legal protection to dolphins, but I do think that "intelligence" as the criteria is morally problematic, at least if it's the sole criteria. For instance, could a person with Down's Syndrome be denied protection from murder? The Christian worldview holds that hum…
Their view is not that intelligence makes your life more worthwhile, but that there is a threshold of species intelligence which makes that species "persons".
Note the focus on a species, rather than individuals.
Re: Dolphins deserve same rights as humans, say scientists
#15I'd be a lot more sympathetic to the cause of treating dolphins as if they had human rights if we first agreed to treat all humans as if they had human rights.
Re: Dolphins deserve same rights as humans, say scientists
#16Sorry, but I'm going to need a Dolphin declaration of independence, armed revolution and ability to self sustain through value creation first.
I think it could easily be argued that the dolphins' way of life is more sustainable than ours... Probably not the best line of argument!
You think humans chasing small fish around in the surf is a superior way to live? Seriously?
There is nothing stopping you...just keep walking west. :)
Re: Dolphins deserve same rights as humans, say scientists
#17Sorry, but I'm going to need a Dolphin declaration of independence, armed revolution and ability to self sustain through value creation first.
"Humans believe they are more intelligent than dolphins because they have achieved so much - New York, the wheel, wars, and so on - while all the dolphins ever did was mess around in the water having a good time. Conversely, dolphins believe that they are more intelligent than humans for precisely the same reason." - Douglas Adams
Re: Dolphins deserve same rights as humans, say scientists
#18Sorry, but I'm going to need a Dolphin declaration of independence, armed revolution and ability to self sustain through value creation first.
By "armed revolution" you're implying that someone has rights only if they are able to defend them. While that seems pragmatic, it actually destroys the definition of "rights".
Saying "X has a right to live" means "you shouldn't kill X." That's a completely different statement from "you will not be able to kill X."
Morality is concerned with what you are obligated to do or not do, apart from your preferences or abilities.
Re: Dolphins deserve same rights as humans, say scientists
#19Rights come with Obligations, so as long as they pay their taxes too, I'm OK with this
Don't most countries have fishing quotas within territorial waters as well? Not sure dolphins and whales will be happy with this.
Re: Dolphins deserve same rights as humans, say scientists
#20Rights come with Obligations, so as long as they pay their taxes too, I'm OK with this
I'd say that rights don't come with obligations inherently. I believe a month-old baby has a right to live, and all it ever does is poop and cry.