X-Message-Number: 27491
From: 
Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2006 02:17:58 EST
Subject: For Animal Activists' Consideration

For Animal Activists' Consideration
 
From page 114 of Robert C.W. Ettinger's (founder the Cryonics Movement)  2005 
book "YOUNIVERSE":
 
"In recent centuries, in America and Europe,
there has been more or less steadily rising
sentiment for humane treatment of the lower
orders.
 
"Are dogs and cats people?
 
"Not only dogs and cats, but rats and pigs too,
and birds and cetaceans, as well as non-human
primates, certainly have both considerable
intelligence and--indisputably--the capacity
for subjective experience or feeling.  This latter
is the primary feature of life as we know it, the
basis of consciousness, and it is clearly the most
Important criterion of personhood.  I therefore
assert categorically that all these creatures--and
possibly others lower on the evolutionary ladder
--should be thought of as people.
 
"This does not mean that we should accord them
citizenship or equal standing before the law, or
equate their welfare with our own, or address
them as Sir or Madam, or demand that they be
clothed for the sake of modesty.  For the
foreseeable future, such extremes are simply not
feasible.
 
"As a practical matter, there are rather narrow
limits on what we can do, or are willing to do, even
for distant humans.  Eventually, however, we will
need to assume more responsibility for our lesser
brethren..."
 
Further, he may even exhibit loftier aspirations than the of the typical  
Animal Activist with his thoughts on the future of the cattle and poultry  

industry; and he at least acknowledges the sensitivities of some for  other life

forms which might be beneath the typical Animal  Activist's sympathies (however,
he does draw the line--for now--with  greens):
 
: - )
 
"It is doubtless a good idea to honor the big-hearted,
the emphatic, the generous, and to strive to enlarge
those qualities in ourselves--within reason.
 
"But it does seem a stretch to take care--as the Jains
of India are said to do--not to tread on an ant or a
worm and to hold all (animal?) life sacred.  I do believe
the time will come--and not so far off either--when
mammals and birds will no longer be raised for
slaughter, but instead we will eat culture-grown meat
that was never part of an animal.
 
"Yet some go further and talk to their plants and aim
eventually not even to eat vegetation.  Call me backward,
but I find it hard to get excited about the rights of spinach.
Even so, I also agree that--eventually--we will match the
plants in our ability to eat a mixture of sunshine, water,
air and dirt.  Maybe we will even learn to enjoy it and share
recipes..."
 
I have visited the Cryonics Institute's lab facilities and have no  doubt the 
few lab rats used there each year are treated  as humanely as possible.  All 
things considered the Animal  Activist Movement should probably consider the 
Cryonics Movement an  ally.
 
David C. Johnson, Commercial Real Estate Appraiser &  Biologist




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