[thechat] Fish do feel pain

[Madhu Menon]

At 04:19 PM 07-05-03, rudy wrote:
>all i suggested was that people who think fish feel no pain or that living
>things have no soul or spirit are so alien, so incomprehensibly different,
>so bereft of compassion, so anthropomorphically self-centred, that it is as
>though they are from a different planet

I would suggest, Sir, that this is a non sequitur.

Why do I have to believe in a soul or spirit to be compassionate? My 
concern for other humans is despite my disbelief in a soul

Also, how does not believing a rock has a "spirit" (define that please) 
make me any less of a good human?

For the record, note that I supported the fish feeling pain line. It's only 
the "spirit" attributed to both living and non-living things that I argued 
against.

I am merely stating that you have failed to demonstrate how compassion (and 
many other wonderful qualities) are somehow linked to a belief in a 
"soul/spirit". It's almost like the "you have no sense of morals or ethics 
unless you believe in god" argument that I've heard many a time.

You are of course entitled to your opinion. If you want to convince other 
aliens among us, however, you need a more persuasive argument.

Meanwhile, I'll be holidaying on Jupiter if you need me.

Regards,

Madhu

<<<   *   >>>
Madhu Menon
Internet User Experience Consultant
e-mail: webguru at vsnl.net   |   Yahoo messenger: cold_logic

Content * Interfaces * Usability * Net Strategy