Are humans beings more important than animals?

Original post by samichha_17

For my Advanced thinking skills class, we were asked if we thought that human beings are more important than animals. Personally, I think that although we may be seen as "superior" we depend on animals, but I wanted to know other peoples views. What do you think?

This in the 'Advice on everyday issues' forum? Really!?

Reply 3

samichha_17

OP

3

Original post by SunnysideSea

This in the 'Advice on everyday issues' forum? Really!?

I don't know-I'm new to TSR and couldn't really work/find a better forum title. Sorry?

Reply 4

Plantagenet Crown

Human beings are animals.

Reply 5

SunnysideSea

Original post by samichha_17

I don't know-I'm new to TSR and couldn't really work/find a better forum title. Sorry?

Haha I just found it quite funny how evaluating the value of humanity had become an everyday issue :biggrin:

But I guess tbf on TSR it often seems to be

Posted from TSR Mobile

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 6

username2763536

Well lets take mountain gorillas for example.Google says there are 880 mountain gorillas left in the wild.If a mountain gorilla dies then thats one more step closer to extinction.In all the history of the universe no-one will ever see a mountain gorilla again after they go extinct.On the other hand if a human dies then there are 7 billion more where that came from.So i'd say at the moment gorillas are more important than humans.

Reply 7

SunnysideSea

Original post by Plantagenet Crown

Human beings are animals.

In the same way that an F1 car is the same as a 3 year old's peddle car

Reply 8

MasterJack

11

Original post by SunnysideSea

In the same way that an F1 car is the same as a 3 year old's peddle car

Basic GCSE-level biology...

Animal...
A living organism belonging to Kingdom Animalia that possess several characteristics that set them apart from other living things, such as:

(1) being eukaryotic (i.e. the cell contains a membrane-bound nucleus) and usually multicellular- HUMANS

(2) being heterotrophic and generally digesting food in an internal chamber (such as a digestive tract)- HUMANS

(3) lacking cell wall- HUMANS

(4) being generally motile, that is being able to move voluntarily- HUMANS

(5) embryos passing through a blastula stage- HUMANS

(6) possessing specialized sensory organs for recognizing and responding to stimuli in the environment- HUMANS

http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Animal

You're free to disagree with biologists/zoologists about humans being classified as an animal. However, biologist>Anon-guy-on-teh-net.

Reply 9

HurtfulHarold

Looking it at it objectively, no. It's arguable that neither us nor animals are more important. In fact, what does it mean to be 'important' HUH? Important within our society? Or important for existence or something? For society obviously humans are more important but for the existence of life on Earth I'd say animals are more important. Depends how you look at it really.

Reply 10

Plantagenet Crown

Original post by SunnysideSea

In the same way that an F1 car is the same as a 3 year old's peddle car

Us being more intelligent doesn't change the fact we are animals. I don't see what's wrong with that and why anyone would consider the term "animal" an insult if used in a neutral, factual way.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 11

Plantagenet Crown

Original post by samichha_17

For my Advanced thinking skills class, we were asked if we thought that human beings are more important than animals. Personally, I think that although we may be seen as "superior" we depend on animals, but I wanted to know other peoples views. What do you think?

Define "important" in this context.

Reply 12

math42

Original post by Robby2312

Well lets take mountain gorillas for example.Google says there are 880 mountain gorillas left in the wild.If a mountain gorilla dies then thats one more step closer to extinction.In all the history of the universe no-one will ever see a mountain gorilla again after they go extinct.On the other hand if a human dies then there are 7 billion more where that came from.So i'd say at the moment gorillas are more important than humans.

So what? Why is it important that the species survives? I'd rather all remaining mountain gorillas died than 880 people...
(well, far more than 880 people will die every day, but I mean if I was arbitrarily given the choice somehow..)

Reply 13

TheOtherSide.

19

If you're talking about important to the Earth as a whole, then yes they are, but not in a good way. :redface:

Reply 14

username2752874

22

Original post by samichha_17

For my Advanced thinking skills class, we were asked if we thought that human beings are more important than animals. Personally, I think that although we may be seen as "superior" we depend on animals, but I wanted to know other peoples views. What do you think?

We're biologically wired to put the survival of our own species before any other. It doesn't matter about what someone thinks it's right or wrong- it's the same story in every species.

If we're talking about dependence, well, plants are as important as animals, since the herbivores eat the plants, the carnivores heat the herbivores, the omnivores(us) eat the plants,herbivores and carnivores.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 15

username2763536

Original post by SunnysideSea

In the same way that an F1 car is the same as a 3 year old's peddle car

The difference is not that huge.Its more like a digital clock that shows the time down to tenths of a second as opposed to a normal analogue clock.Its a difference of degree not kind. Humans just tell themselves that animals dont really feel or think the same as we do because it makes it easier to abuse them.If we really thought that animals could think or feel as we do then we wouldnt do the things we do to them.

Reply 16

username2763536

Original post by 1 8 13 20 42

So what? Why is it important that the species survives? I'd rather all remaining mountain gorillas died than 880 people...
(well, far more than 880 people will die every day, but I mean if I was arbitrarily given the choice somehow..)

Its important because animals are not just things.They have at least some degree of awareness and conciousness. Say they have the conciousness of ten year old children,this is not unlikely.Then you are basically saying that you have no problem with 880 children dying.It is the same essentially except gorillas are animals,so you dont think about it.Also all life on earth depends on each other.If for example we wipe out half of ocean wildlife then our species will also suffer because half the worlds population depends on the ocean for food.

Reply 17

581371

17

Well, a dog has never lied to me or betrayed me or murdered me, at most; sh*t in front of me

Reply 18

sek510i

16

Several issues here. Firstly, humans are animals. If by ''animals'' you mean other animals, which I think is likely, then I don't think that humans are necessarily more important to the planet as a whole. Many creatures are important or significant to others of their own species, but I doubt the ants in your garden give a damn what happens to humanity as a species, for example.

It really depends on how you define importance, though.

Reply 19

Cremated_Spatula