Re: Extropians and animal rights
Terry Donaghe (tdonaghe@yahoo.com)
Mon, 11 Jan 1999 08:03:53 -0800 (PST)
What does Ayn Rand say about rights as far as humans are concerned?
Something about us being the only animal capable of rational thought
(any arguments on that point?), and without certain rights such as the
right to ourselves (no one own's us) and the right to keep what we
earn, we're unable to excersize rational thought which reduces us to
the realm of animals (those without the capacity for rational
thought). That's a very abbreviated version, but close, I think.
Correct me if that's wrong.
That said, our only "rights" are the right to self and the right to
property. All other "rights" either flow from those two (like gun
ownership, police protection) or are bogus, nonexistent rights (rights
to medical care, "fair" wages, protection from "evil" monopolies, etc.).
If animals are incapable of rational thought, then do they deserve the
right to themselves, i.e. can we own them? Should we free heards of
cows to fend for themselves? My opinion is that animals which are
incapable of rational thought can and should be treated in any way
wished by those who own them.
Animals certainly can't earn things of their own volition, so I don't
think there's a question of animal property rights.
Are there any other "rights?" If I can own an animal, then I can
treat it as I wish. If you (or government or whatever) decides that I
can only treat my property (an animal in this case) in certain ways,
then I don't truly OWN it. I'm just borrowing it from the government
which is nice enough to let me use it for certain pre-approved
functions...
==
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