Do they? I mean, they're 98.9% similar to us by DNA. They have cultures and languages. They experience rich emotions like anger, fear, and happiness. So, do Apes, along with humans, deserve to belong to a community of equals? Give me some reasons people :D!
2007-02-18 03:14:59 · 8 answers · asked by sportbest 2 in Entertainment & Music ➔ Music
The only "rights" animals have are the ones we humans give them. Because we are the dominiant species, the main reasons we give animals "rights" are either practical or emotional ones. The main practicial reasons are ecological (to maintain the balance of nature) and farming (to maintain the supply of food and other materials). The main emotional reasons are related to appearances (we like to see animals running free), visualizations (we hate to see animals mistreated), and transferrences (we relate to animals that have human qualities).
Almost all of these reasons could be applied to the ape family of primates. The only one in my list that doesn't is the one about farming. Almost all of these reasons could be applied to trees. The only one in my list that doesn't is the one about transferrence.
Rather than assigning "rights" to animals and plants for whatever reasons, I would rather see the concept of "protection", which is not quite the same. We can protect a species of plant or animal without giving it "rights". Giving a species of plant or animal "rights" makes it all but human, which it is not. Giving it "protection" allows the species to survive and to thrive, but still allows humans to harvest it and manage it (against overpopulation, for example) for whatever reasons are acceptable.
No, apes are not human and do not deserve human-like "rights". But they do deserve our protection.
2007-02-18 03:51:23 · answer #1 · answered by TitoBob 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They may have similar DNA and have other similarities to humans but they are NOT humans, they are animals. I think we as humans have a responsibility to treat them with kindness or respect in some form and they certainly don't deserve to be abused. I think it may be helpful to think of what the Bible says about Man (humans, that is) and animals. Genesis says that man is given "dominion" over the earth which means we are responsible for it's care. The other way to think is Darwinism which says that the apes are really our distant cousins and that we have "evolved" to a higher status than apes. This thinking can lead to all sort of presuppositions such as racism and sexism. When animals take on the same importance as humans in our thinking we have a problem. Do we sacrifice people to save animals? If you were travelling down the highway and saw a family of ducks crossing the road as well as an oncoming vehicle, do you drive into the ditch, killing yourself? Or should you crash into the oncoming car to save the ducks? Or run the ducks over? Your way of thinking will determine your choice.
2016-05-24 02:06:06 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They deserve every right to be taken care of and treated with respect but i wouldnt let them rule over us. Then again, America already have a chimp ruling them so i really dont know.
2007-02-18 03:24:19 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Uhrmm i tink animals deserves every right.Besides its our fault,that they're losin their natural habitat n such.Its us that's violatin their "land".We shud respect em.They have been ere longer than we were so who r we to say that we're on d top of d food chain? When we look at em thru a glass wall..perhaps they r tinkin ..wot morons wid nothin else to do? lol..animals rocks..even man-eating ones.. :p
2007-02-18 03:20:31 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
They certainly deserve the same rights as you... not me however. I'm vastly superior to all of you. Cute too.
2007-02-18 03:23:31 · answer #5 · answered by Oliver T 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No they are not equal because they are animals and we have dominion over all animals. Simple as that!
2007-02-18 03:42:16 · answer #6 · answered by LadyL 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you should ask this in the social sciences area, more likely to get pertinent answers.
2007-02-18 03:18:26 · answer #7 · answered by Stormy 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
not only them ,every animal deserves it b'coz the earth is as much theirs as it is ours
2007-02-18 03:21:09 · answer #8 · answered by lotus_roses 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋