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Topic on animal rights
Topic on animal rights
Topic on animal rights
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More handpicked essays just for you.
Topic on animal rights
Topic on animal rights
Topic on animal rights
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
In the op-ed piece “A Change of Heart about Animals”, Jeremy Rifkin emphasizes the similarities between humans and animals by providing results on scientific research studies to illustrate that humans should be more empathetic towards animals. In addition, he further explains how research results have changed the ways humans perceived animals and indicates solutions that were taken by other countries and organizations to help improve and protect animal rights. Rifkin provides examples that demonstrate animals have emotions, conceptual abilities, self awareness, and a sense of individualism just like humans. For example, Pigs crave for affection and get depressed easily when isolated, two birds Betty and Abel have tool making skills, Koko
The article I have chosen was written by Helen Pilcher and is about evolution of creatures, especially for primates. However, until now, what do our very first primates were like still remain mysterious as we do not have sufficient information and evidences which are 60 million years ago. Yet, we still cannot deny that evolution occurs in creatures. No matter for humans, animals or plants, all of them will make changes because of their living habits and environment in order to survive. In this article, the author explains everything clearly about the primate evolution was taken around million years ago and ancestors are a small and nocturnal creature.
In this paper, I will focus on Bonnie Steinbock’s claim on whether or not we should give equal moral consideration to species outside our own species group. I will first determine what moral concern means, according to Peter singer, and explain how he views the human treatment of animals. I will then outline Steinbock’s argument against Singer’s position and explain how her criticism is part of a much broader issue: that is moral concern. I will finally make my argument against Steinbock as well as address any issues she could possibly raise against my argument. Peter Singer believed that all species, whether it be human or non-human, deserve equal consideration of interests and quality of life.
Singer opens up discussing different liberation movements and how certain movements have expanded our interpretation of the basic moral principle of equality. This directs him into advocating his belief basic equality should expand amongst all species. Throughout the text, the term speciesism is used, which he defines as, “a prejudice or attitude of bias in favor of the interests of members of one’s own species and against those of members of other species”. Singer makes it apparent, in today’s society, most people practice speciesism. He makes three apparent claims: equality is based on equal consideration, equality is a moral idea not factual, and the importance of taking into account suffering and interests.
Humans evolved from these pre-human primates around 3 and a half mya. The primates that evolved into humans 3 and a half mya such as the Ardipithecus robustus portrayed many human like features as they were the last species of primates to evolve before humans were introduced. The primate displayed two arms, two legs, a head, jaw, neck, eyes, mouth etc. This species was as human as primates got because next up was the species Homo habilis which appeared much more human like than his ancestor. Still walking on his hind legs and chewing his food in his mouth and seeing through his
Singer’s argument in favor of the claim that speciesism is false can be formulated as follows. Singer prefaces his argument with examples of how minority groups have in the past presented their respective (yet similar) arguments for their equality in society. He continues to explore the idea that the differences between races and genders should not be discerning factors in the decision of who get which rights; because all subcategories fall under the same grand category (the species they belong to), they should all have the same rights. However, as Singer points out, for most people, the differences between humans and other beings are significant enough to be reflected in the set of rights that each cohort has [doesn’t].
One topic that many scholars are debating right now is the topic of animal rights. The questions are, on what basis are rights given, and do animals possess rights? Two prominent scholars, Tom Regan and Tibor Machan, each give compelling arguments about animal rights, Regan for them and Machan against them. Machan makes the sharp statement, “Animals have no rights need no liberation” (Machan, p. 480). This statement was made in direct opposition to Regan who says, “Reason compels us to recognize the equal inherent value of these animals and, with this, their equal right to be treated with respect” (Regan, p. 477).
The behavioral aspects of chimpanzees is very similar to humans’ behavior. These behaviors can indicate that chimpanzees or apes are the closest living primate that relates to humans. Humans and chimpanzees have many things in common with each other. They both have many behaviors that only humans and Apes have and no other animal have. Not only they look a lot on biologically aspects, also they have many aspects of behavior that are very similar to each other and that were once thought to be only human behavior and not any other primate behaviors.
Human evolution is a process of change with people. This evolution originated from apelike ancestors. Scientific evidence shows that the physical and behavioral traits shared by all people began from apelike ancestors and evolved over a period of approximately six million years until today One of the earliest defining human traits proving this is bipedalism , known as the ability to walk on two legs which had evolved over 4 million years ago. Other important human characteristics include a large and complex brain, the ability to make and use tools, and the capacity for language which has been developed more recently.
Almost from the beginning, Darwin grouped humans with other animals, knowing that they too can undergo the process of natural selection. Many people, even those who claim to accept Darwin’s theory, cannot think of evolution in terms of humans. It’s too big of a paradigm shift, and difficult even for other evolutionists to fully understand. The idea of evolution rests in natural selection, of which Quammen explains, “[n]atural selection is a purposeless process but an efficacious one. Impersonal, blind to the future, it has no goals, only results.
Primates and humans are so similar, yet they are so different. One thing they both have in common is that we are both breastfed by our mothers when we are babies. The mother Gorilla at the zoo breastfed her baby when the baby was hungry to release its discomfort Another similarity is that we help and comfort each other humans helps their parents, friends and siblings. The Lion-tailed Macaque helps the other Macaque who was in discomfort by helping him scratch. When the baby gorilla went to its mom to feel comfort after it dropped its toy.
Human’s is curious by nature, the constant quest for answers on different subject surrounding human presence on this planet have led to extraordinary discoveries. Overtime, humans have made significant progress on the origin of mankind. The question whether we are a product of creation or evolution has been object of great fascination for the greatest minds. Experts are divided on the subject philosopher, biology experts alike. According to Charles Darwin theory of evolution and natural selection that “species change over time, give rise to new species, and share a common ancestor.”
The lack of a universal truth from which we can judge ethics leaves us with little option but to trust our perspective. The lack of abstract theory gives pragmatic weight to his argument that relates to the way we feel. It is on this argument that we can see the lack of the claim in the weakness of animals as a distinct division from racism. Finally as being human is a consideration for which no other species can claim, it is a unique membership, no other creature can similarly reflect on their species identity introspectively. It is from
Human evolution signifies to the evolutionary development running up to the manifestation of modern humans. Primates have been tracked back to about 65 million years ago. With time, Primates have changed as their eyes relocated nearer, collectively permitting stereoscopic vision. Anthropoids began to emerge. Among the development of Anthropoids, scientists found closer characteristics that resembled modern humans.
Nowadays, we all acknowledge that human, as a species, evolves from other species like chimpanzee and also the concept of natural selection for which the fittest will survive and live on. But such concepts were not wildly accepted or even notified by anyone until the publication of the book on the origin of species written by Charles Darwin back in 1859. Charles Darwin (1809-1882), an English naturalist geologist and biologist, best known for his contribution to the evolutionary theory, proposed a brand new theory back then which he stated that all species of creatures descends from common ancestors. Overcoming a lot of criticisms and rejections, Darwin’s theory of evolution has been wildly accepted by the 1870s and has been the foundation