Scientists say dolphins should be treated as 'non-human persons'

[Ben]

http://www.sott.net/articles/show/200314-Scientists-say-dolphins-should-be-treated-as-non-human-persons-

As a Zoology student 5 years ago, I decided do do my dissertation on the evidence for advanced intelligence in dolphins and so I was interested to discuss this with others. I agree that the violent treatment of cetaceans (dolphins, whales, porpoises) by humans is morally repugnant, are we justified in considering it as equal to violence towards fellow humans?

I think it says a lot about our ponerised society that people seem to be quite easily persuaded to feel empathy towards animals who show evidence of advanced intelligence and emotion, and just as easily persuaded to show a lack of empathy towards other humans when they KNOW what intelligence and emotions they may be capable of. This is my experience in general.

[Edit - Link added, oops!]

 

[StrangeCaptain]

It is kind of a complicated subject.

Perhaps some feel the empathy that they don't have in the human world towards the animal world because they are close to that world in a sense. By this, I mean our hypothesis of the existence of organic portals as discussed in this thread. Along read but a must for anyone who sticks around here for awhile...

I think the dichotomy of someone who can love animals and at the same time ignore or participate in immensely destructive acts towards humans has been discussed on a thread, perhaps the one above, already. It certainly seems to mirror some kind of ponerization or pathology.

Then there is also the idea that we can see in certain natural wonders something that hearkens to what is beautiful in our world. Someone once told me that puppies and their immense cuteness are symbolic of the things in our crazy world that should be saved. I did not understand at the time because my sense of cuteness was almost entirely non-existent. Since then, I understand cuteness, and thus the above statement, much better. Perhaps my cute sense is still mal-aligned because I find baby skunks immensely cute.