I have always wondered on what basis society can differentiate between the killing of a dog and the killing of a bug. Why would it be acceptable to kill a bug, yet when it comes to a dog or other more "intelligent" animals, we find it wrong to senselessly kill it. Any insight on this subject would be greatly appreciated.
steve
2007-09-07 09:05:24 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
Why should that be a basis to determine the value of its life?
2007-09-07 09:14:55 · update #1
Kerri...so I guess if you find someone "annoying and gross", you should have the right to kill them.
2007-09-07 09:15:44 · update #2
crossstitchkelly....based on your logic, it should be permissible to kill someone who is mentally retarded.
2007-09-07 09:28:24 · update #3
Sowcratees...your response was the kind I was looking for. Humans must be brought into the mix as well. The point of this post was to show how society has drawn lines without really justifying their existence.
2007-09-07 10:03:17 · update #4
ben gone...when trying to make a point, it has the greatest effect when you use extreme examples.
2007-09-07 11:58:08 · update #5
I would consider the amount of suffering the animal's brain was capable of processing to be a defining mark. I would extend your question and include bacteria and active viruses in the conversation. Are you willing to spare the lives of such bugs as this by standing out naked in the cold? Do you nourish your colds and bread molds in the same fashion. Your question is worth consideration because it reveals that lines must be drawn and those lines are made by the rule of law. Some, must by definition, appear to someone who knows to be arbitrary. Unfortunately, we must live with opinion and little to no knowledge concerning these matters. I think it is obvious that a dog deserves more compassion than a bug because it is capable of more suffering. My dilemma appears when I bite into that bacon and cheese biscuit I love to have in the mornings.
2007-09-07 09:56:29 · answer #1 · answered by Sowcratees 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is a flawed premise to say it is the same thing because it has life. It may be intrinsically true but it is not how society and its mores function. There are members of the animal kingdom designated as food animals and some designated as "pests" and some we call pets. There are better examples of blurring the lines than bugs and dogs. How about squirrels which are sometimes pets, pests and food. But even if you could accept that dogs are food to allow them to fight to the death or kill them for entertainment value would continue to be illegal. Your roast beef sandwich was not a loser in the bovine WWE
2007-09-07 11:55:08 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is no difference. Everything has the same value.It all depends on how you look at it. Society includes all sorts of people, some of whom condone the killing of dogs. Some condone the killing of humans.
STATES WITH THE DEATH PENALTY
Alabama
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Indiana
Illinois
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York *
North Carolina
Ohio
Oregon
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Virginia
Washington
Wyoming
There are insects on the list of endangered species list. Isn't it illegal to kill them?
There is no difference between bugs and dogs and humans.
2007-09-07 09:52:29 · answer #3 · answered by Cat onahottinroof 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
bugs, fleas, roaches etc are vermin more like weeds and chaff that sneaked into Noah's ark. They are pests. dogs are companions.
It also relates to our own fear of death. we protect the dog but kill the bug because the former is more visible than latter. imagine killing the dog to save the flea! there's something awkward about that.
2007-09-07 10:06:52 · answer #4 · answered by ari-pup 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We haven't usually formed some type of emotional bond with a bug, and we definitely don't recognize them as being similar to us. With dogs and other higher animals, we can see intelligence, and usually emotion, but just repetitive behavior with bugs (do you think a mammal would just keep throwing itself at a light bulb until it dies?). It's harder to kill something when you can't see any kind of mind at work.
2007-09-07 09:26:21 · answer #5 · answered by cross-stitch kelly 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Ending any consciousness is bad. Suffering has nothing to do with it. You can kill a dog or a person without any suffering on their parts.
2007-09-07 11:16:10 · answer #6 · answered by shmux 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
One general round-about answer is that we can relate to a dog (on its own level), but I imagine that it would be pretty difficult to relate to a bug.
As C.S. Lewis says, we don`t give earwigs and centipedes a bath.
.
2007-09-07 10:50:53 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
One is called a cat and one is called a dog (see, I'm smart)
2016-04-03 09:15:05 · answer #8 · answered by Aline 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dogs are companions, Bugs are annoying and gross.
2007-09-07 09:13:59 · answer #9 · answered by k 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
the bottom line is, people like dogs more than bugs. thats it.
2007-09-07 10:25:48 · answer #10 · answered by disTurbed angeL 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋