If animals are sentient should we rethink how we treat them?

I was cruising through the web and came across an interesting snippet regarding Idi Amin the late Dictator of Uganda, he had his army train Chimps to use machetes on his enemies, the fact that the Chimps are now training younger Chimps to use the weapon seems to have gone unnoticed. When you see that an Elephant can draw quite well there is a deeper and more meaningful conclusion to what seems to be more than just a novelty therein in for Human entertainment. Then I came across this Gem where some West African soldiers give a Chimp an AK 47 for a laugh until it backfires no pun intended.

a reply to: anonentity

After seeing that video, I'm thinking we should re-examine the way we treat humans. Do you want Planet of the Apes? Because that's how you get Planet of the Apes.

Of course animals are sentient!! Look up any meaning of the word...

en.wikipedia.org...

Basically the capacity to feel and be aware.

And of course we should rethink how we treat them.

Like this girl, Bella:

Woman tries to drown dog
Bella surely knew what was happening. She was aware

a reply to: anonentity

Just in case anybody missed it in the youtube comments;

For those who are watching this on 2021: This video was a part of an advertising campaign for the movie "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" (2011)

Nevertheless you are correct many species of animals are sentient and it could be argued perhaps more sentient than some automatons humans.

Should we treat them any different, that's up to the individual I suppose. I have read research that shows fish experience pain, fear, get stressed etc, I like fishing and eating fish that I catch. If I had to I would slaughter my own beef, lamb or whatever, I'm an animal and I need food to exist. Nature is a bastard, but it is what it is, unless of course you're happy with a Gates Bug Burger.

a reply to: anonentity

We are all on this planet smaller parts of a bigger thing.

We are all intertwined that way, from humans to fauna to flora to the ground we walk on...

If someone has to "rethink" how they treated "animals", then they were not thinking of the bigger picture in the first place.

Not posting this as a Vegan, an Environmentalist, a Christian, A Buddhist, an Animal Rights Activist, a Globalist, a Nationalist or an Anarchist.

I am none of those and have no label.

Just posting it as someone who knows that she is a small part of something much bigger than the sum of her parts.

a reply to: anonentity

Not all animals are sentient

www.animal-ethics.org...

What beings are not conscious
Beings that have no centralized nervous systems are not sentient. This includes bacteria, archaea, protists, fungi, plants and certain animals. There is the possibility that a number of animals with very simple centralized nervous systems are not sentient either, but this is an open question and cannot be settled yet.

a reply to: myselfaswell


True but it looks like a real chimp with a real gun, however, this another one showing how Baboons wait and work out to do a raid on suburbia. Can't seem to embed this one. www.youtube.com... and.

a reply to: anonentity

Yes. Animals are sentient.

originally posted by: TheConstruKctionofLight
a reply to: anonentity

Not all animals are sentient

www.animal-ethics.org...

What beings are not conscious
Beings that have no centralized nervous systems are not sentient. This includes bacteria, archaea, protists, fungi, plants and certain animals. There is the possibility that a number of animals with very simple centralized nervous systems are not sentient either, but this is an open question and cannot be settled yet.

Good point! I wonder if a fly is sentient and deserving of respectful treatment?

I think we can all agree that we should treat animals with respect up until the point we eat them. Always show gratitude for your dinner.

a reply to: anonentity

If animals are “sentient” shouldn’t they rethink how they treat their prey?

I've seen that video before! I love it!

Humans can't stop treating each other like total garbage so this seems like a really tall order.

I do support arming the apes though. Better to get on their good side I reckon.

a reply to: anonentity

Of course animals in general are sentient. Should we treat them any differently than if they were not? No.

One shouldn't treat anything poorly even inanimate objects. We should be good stewards of everything around us. I myself sometimes lack in stewardship over my own belongings, but fortunately for my heart animals have never gotten that treatment.

Heck, I rarely even kill bugs unless it's necessary. I let flies out the window unless they are out of control. I'll escort spiders out the door. Copperheads are typically left alone and not given incentive to come in my yard.

When fishing I'll be as gentle as possible with the release in order to better insure survival unless they are keepers in which case I try to bleed them immediately (quick death AND keeps the meat more fresh). Hunting is conducted respectfully.

Anyway, I think animals are much deeper than science officially states. Recently I read an article stating that house cats cannot be loyal because they are socially inept. My last cat was definitely loyal. She'd follow me around like a dog everywhere I went. She came when I called her with mouth clicks. She'd bring gifts. The whole shebang. I miss that cat!

I would argue that human life will not spiritually evolve until we respect all life. Right now, we treat the earth as a garbage, and treat animals as products.

I believe the universe will open up to us when we become a compassionate and understanding species. Until then, aliens view us as war-mongering power hungry apes fighting for materialism and control.

originally posted by: blueman12
I would argue that human life will not spiritually evolve until we respect all life. Right now, we treat the earth as a garbage, and treat animals as products.

I believe the universe will open up to us when we become a compassionate and understanding species. Until then, aliens view us as war-mongering power hungry apes fighting for materialism and control.

So? Your angry because people are a product of evolution? The universe is open to you now.

a reply to: blueman12

Or they are waiting for you to journey to them for knowledge?

a reply to: neutronflux

Do we all treat each other like garbage? Are we all disrespectful of other life? Or is it just the sociopaths amongst us that feel they deserve more somehow?

Evolution is about survival if we were all sociopaths we would have wiped each other out by now.

originally posted by: neutronflux
a reply to: anonentity

If animals are “sentient” shouldn’t they rethink how they treat their prey?

Excluding moo cows and baa sheep!

Questions like this only arise thanks to living in societies that isolate us from nature. Look at how any aboriginal tribe lives and relates to the natural world if you want to know how we are to interact with it. You will find it both utilitarian and reverent at the same time. Being grateful for the things that make our own lives possible is part and parcel of their outlook.