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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
Jeremy Rifkin, the president of the Foundation on Economic Trends in Washington D.C and author of “A Change of Heart About Animals” (2003), argues in this article that animals are much more like humans than we thought and that we should expand our empathy to our fellow creatures. Rifkin develops his thesis by comparing the similarities between humans and animals. An example of this is in paragraph 11 when he claims that animals show a sense of their own mortality and the mortality of their kin just like humans do. He supports this claim by giving an example of elephants standing next to their dead children for days after they have passed. The author gives that example of the elephants in order to make the reader understands just how aware these
In the article “A Change of Heart About Animals” by Jeremy Rifkin published in the Los Angeles Times on September 1, 2003 Rifkin advocates for the ethical treatment of animals and discusses how people perceive, and at times underestimate, animals and their abilities. Two letters were written, one by Lois Frazier and the other by Bob Stevens, to Rifkin in response to “A Change of Heart About Animals” and were published in the Los Angeles Times editorial section. Each letter expresses the author’s individual opinion on Rifkin’s convictions. Rifkin uses scientific studies, such as the ones conducted at Purdue University on pigs’ social behavior (Source #1 par. 4), to support his belief that
In “A Change of Heart about Animals,” Jeremy Rifkin says “many of our fellow creatures are more like us than we had ever imagined.” By doing so, Rifkin tries to appeal to human emotions through the use of pathos, in order to reflect our current viewpoint to match his opinion. Although animals have cognitive abilities and emotions similar to humans, I have to disagree on the basis that we should not change the way that we normally treat animals because of survival of the fittest and that human lives should be put over animals’. Despite the fact that it seems inhumane to treat animals poorly, it is actually beneficial to the lives of people. Rifkin raises questions such as, “So what does all of this portend for the way we treat our fellow
In A Change of Heart About Animals, author Jeremy Rifkin gives his penny for thought on the animal rights front. Rifkin states his beliefs firmly, citing evidence that supports his argument that like humans, animals are able to have emotional connections and are more like humans than we realize. However, Rifkin’s evidence swiftly begins to contradict his point. He expects humans to treat animals with equal rights without realizing animals wouldn’t be able to do the same. So, in Rifkin’s cute little imaginary world, would animals end up being superior to humans?
As a whole, Rifkin argues the importance of treating animals with respect based on the fact that animals share characteristics with humans. I agree that animals do deserve to be treated with respect and honor, but should animals really be treated like human beings? One must look at the imperfect world we live in, it is man against man, the survival of the fittest. This evolutionary concept even takes place in the animal kingdom, one must hunt and kill for survival. Thus, will giving a pig a toy or assuring that animals are happy, change the fact that they be slaughtered and become man’s source of nutrition?
Harvey William Harvey’s seminal work “On the Motion on the Heart and Blood in Animals” initiated modern medicine. Harvey’s arguments were detailed readily verifiable and though they did endure a fair bit of criticism when released, in most areas, they were accepted within his lifetime. Once his simple notion of the circulation of blood was carefully described others were able to see and understand its validity themselves. I will argue that William Harvey’s theory which used inductive reasoning to show, with experiments, how blood flowed from veins to arteries through the heart and deduced the existence of capillaries to return blood from arteries to veins. One of the main understandings of the day, proposed by Galen of Pergamon nearly 1500 years earlier, was that blood was a resource that was produced in the liver and consumed in the tissues and the brain.
16 November 2016 Dear Mr. Rifkin, Jeremy Rifkin writes an incredible article which is warm hearting and does not go over the top. He states that animals are more like humans and don't get the credit they deserve. He also backs up his evidence not with personal opinion but with facts. He talks about pigs who crave affection, intelligent animals, and devastating tragedies that animals feel when losing one of their own.
We are not alone on this Earth. We, humans, have animals by our side. We share this inhabitable planet together with animals, and they should have same right as we do on this beautiful planet. Animals are pure instinctual living creatures who never think before following their instincts. They won’t think otherwise before killing a person.
Animals are great and make our lives better but when they are suffering and all we can do is extend their pain for a few months and pay thousands of dollars it just isn’t worth it. Americans nowadays spend money on tons of things that aren’t worth it, but spending thousands of dollars on dying animals is ridiculous. Furthermore, people even treat their animals as family like for example “Eighty-Three Percent refer to themselves to as their parents pet’s mom or dad” (The Last Meow). As a former pet owner I can say that it is ridiculous how people consider animals as their family and use that to justify spending thousands of dollars to keep them for a few months longer.
However, the information that animals are not intelligent is completely false due to the fact that there are different classifications of intelligence. For example, pigeons may not able to calculate the value of coins, but they are able to differentiate nickels from pennies by categorizing these objects through abstract relationships. This ability was thought to be something only humans could do, but animals can as well, demonstrating how the minds of humans and animals are not that unlike. With all these aspects proving humans and animals to be mentally similar, it should be clear that no specific species should have more of a right to survive. No matter what species, remaining alive is the top priority.
I believe that animals should be given rights, and protected as we are today. What do you think that some animals go through every day. Many people may not know, but animal cruelty is a very big problem. Dogs, cats, and other animals are family and should be treated just as children are treated. Sadly many dogs and cats are thrown in the trash can after they are abused and tortured.
“Humanity’s true moral test, its fundamental test...consists of its attitude toward those who are at its mercy; animals”. This quote by Milan Kundera summarizes the idea that animals and their well being are constantly being placed in the hands of humans. The relationship between animals and humans is often times abused and not taken seriously. Too many people forget how common and prevalent animal abuse is, even in our own community. Poor treatment of pets should be a pet peeve to everyone because it affects their health, it affects their emotional state, and it is a self chosen responsibility.
The Holy Qur 'an, the Hadith, and the historical backdrop of Islamic human advancement offer numerous cases of consideration, kindness, and sympathy for creatures. As per Islamic standards, every single animal has its own position in the creation chain and people are in charge of their health and foods. Allah has made us aware that animals are communities like humans and they have quite similar
Animals are being abused everyday and they are not taken into consideration when you see them being abused. They are suffering and they are being abused everyday and you all need to stop it. Animal cruelty is not something that just goes away the person doing it will keep doing it until someone stops them. Everyone needs to stop animal abuse and if everyone starts to make a difference others will to. Animals need help with this and everyone needs to help them.