Hi Wim,
Wim writes:
In a pragmatist and radical empiricist philosophy (which the MoQ is
according to Pirsig) 'good' equals both 'what works and is successful' and
'what exists i.e. what can be experienced'. (...)
Elliot:
You judge the sucess of the human species on its ability to adapt to
outerspace and its overwhelming population. Thus you say "Animal cultures
are far less successful than human cultures". However, animals live and
people live, so how much more sucessful are animals at surviving than
humans? I judge the quality of humanity not on its numbers but on the
quality of our culture (ie: art). When i say that we should not impose
human values on animals i mean that perhaps (to them) rabbit or fish
exsistance is equally staisfying to them. Because we cant find verbs and
nouns in their speach, can they not communicate (or is perhaps music and
expression of emotion their mode of communication, is that inferior to
human culture?).
I think we error to believe intelligence is somehow an end in itself, and
that whatever static patterns animals exsist in are inferior (less
sucsesful) to ours. Success is a very vauge word, and i dont think sheer
numbers or and quantitative category is a good definition of success. And,
i dont know the answer to this, but how many species kill themselves or
others of their species? I know some kill others, but i've not heard of
suicide among animals. regardless, success is a vauge word, and humans
often make the mistake of equating domination with success.
Wim:
is it
very practical, you think, NOT to impose our human values on fish and other
animal friends?
I think the torturing of animals because they dont experience human
intellect is a crappy thing to do. It would be impractical for our society
(our economy and the happiness of our citizens) to stop. No, it isnt
practicle NOT to judge animals by our definition of intelligence,
regardless i think we should not do it for other reasons than practicality
and efficency.
Maybe you misunderstood what i meant by imposing our values upon animals,
but what i did mean was that assuming their culture or whatever patterns
they live in to be inferior or not equal to human is a crappy thing to do.
Elliot
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