Humans Superior and More Valuable Than Animals?

satchitananda · Nov 16, 2013

Of late a favourite past time has been watching youtube videos on cats, dogs, animals, reincarnation, rebirth ..... Motley collection, I agree. Some thoughts have crossed my mind while watching these. Thought I would put them down here and would like to hear the opinions of other readers.

There are quite a few videos on "last moments with" dogs. Many of these are videos about putting a dog to sleep because ..... dog is very sick and the owners do not want the dog to suffer too much. Noble thought. The comments vary from "brick-batting" the owners to comforting them telling them they did right by putting the dog out of its misery and saying we cannot make them suffer for our own selfish purposes.

Now I have two questions.

Assuming it is right to put the animal out of its misery - euthanasia - why is it that we as human beings refuse to grant this right to human beings even if it is our own life?

Assuming euthanasia is a sin / morally wrong, why is it right to euthanize an animal?

Does this not mean that we consider human life superior to that of animals and if so, who has given us the right to make such a judgement?

fencesitter · Nov 16, 2013

Euthanasia for humans is already legal in some European countries. I think in Belgium and Switzerland. I am hopeful that other countries will follow the lead one day.

satchitananda · Nov 17, 2013

Either way, I guess we need to learn to be consistent and honest. Either humans and animals need the same compassion in being put out of their misery or both should have the same right to life as the other.

Viswamitra · Nov 17, 2013

Dear Satchi,

Your post brought up a very good subject for discussion. Euthanasia has been a subject matter of discussion in many countries for so many years. As Fencesitter described only two countries legalized this when human beings suffer from incurable diseases. Having worked for the Hospice for many many years and seen many patients refusing treatment for terminal illness, I have come to the conclusion that the human beings have a right to leave at the manner in which they would like to exit this world.

In our household, we talk a lot about it and as I mentioned earlier, both my wife and I agreed that if one of us were to get to a vegetated state, the other should pull the plug. There was a doctor in the US who died recently and he assisted many patients to leave peacefully and he was punished for his actions. He had an impression that there was nothing wrong in what he did until he died.

There is a boy in our town who is suffering from schizophrenia (taking treatment) and hears voices almost regularly. Whenever he is overpowered by those voices, he feels that life is not worth living. But when that voice stops, he gets hope again. As long as there is hope, the life is worth living.

Regarding animals, I am a big animal lover. However, they are unable to make the decision for themselves when they suffer. They don't express their pain and suffering in words either. Therefore, if the veterinarian confirms that the disease is incurable, I am of the opinion that giving the animals relief from the pain makes sense. But two years ago, a 6 years old horse suffered from Lymphoma and the horse was about to be euthanized. That is when a biotech company invented a DNA shot that could be administered to the horse and both the owner of the horse and Vet were ready to try it out. Now, the horse is completely cured of Lymphoma and is 8 years old. The horse leads a normal life like any other animal. Only medical inventions can change my mind.

Viswa

satchitananda · Nov 17, 2013

Dear Viswamitra,

Viswamitra said: ↑

Dear Satchi,

Your post brought up a very good subject for discussion. Euthanasia has been a subject matter of discussion in many countries for so many years. As Fencesitter described only two countries legalized this when human beings suffer from incurable diseases. Having worked for the Hospice for many many years and seen many patients refusing treatment for terminal illness, I have come to the conclusion that the human beings have a right to leave at the manner in which they would like to exit this world.

100% in agreement with this. But then we have legal and moral police taking possession of our decisions and deciding what is "good for us". Our own history has talked of various great individuals taking "samadhi" when they thought the time was rife.

In our household, we talk a lot about it and as I mentioned earlier, both my wife and I agreed that if one of us were to get to a vegetated state, the other should pull the plug. There was a doctor in the US who died recently and he assisted many patients to leave peacefully and he was punished for his actions. He had an impression that there was nothing wrong in what he did until he died.

Many folks have to go through unbelievable hardships for doing or saying what is centuries later accepted to be true. Wasn't Galileo thrown into jail for saying the earth is round?

There is a boy in our town who is suffering from schizophrenia (taking treatment) and hears voices almost regularly. Whenever he is overpowered by those voices, he feels that life is not worth living. But when that voice stops, he gets hope again. As long as there is hope, the life is worth living.

Now this is the proverbial other side of the coin. But then the same should apply to animals as well - as you have shown in the examples below.

Regarding animals, I am a big animal lover. However, they are unable to make the decision for themselves when they suffer. They don't express their pain and suffering in words either. Therefore, if the veterinarian confirms that the disease is incurable, I am of the opinion that giving the animals relief from the pain makes sense.

Exactly, but then that applies to humans too - humans who express their pain and suffering and want to be allowed to go. What I can't understand is when we talk about kindness to animals and allow human beings to suffer or contrarily talk of the human right to live out their karmas and life being a gift to them from God. Does that mean animals are children of a lesser God or that they have no karmas / purpose to complete? There was a video of a dog who was put to sleep but then woke up again and the owner was considering putting him to sleep again. Was not the fact that he woke up a good enough sign that God had other plans for him? What if the same thing had to happen to a human being - he/she woke up in the middle of anaesthesia? The docs would be sued for cruelty and callousness. Even a death sentence if not carried out soon enough would eventually end up in the convict escaping the noose on grounds of mental torture. So all I ask is why these double standards? Life is life after all - whether it is a worm or a human being. I just thought about this argument holding true when killing cockroaches and other vermin too. Killing for self defence????? :hide: :bonk

But two years ago, a 6 years old horse suffered from Lymphoma and the horse was about to be euthanized. That is when a biotech company invented a DNA shot that could be administered to the horse and both the owner of the horse and Vet were ready to try it out. Now, the horse is completely cured of Lymphoma and is 8 years old. The horse leads a normal life like any other animal. Only medical inventions can change my mind.

Viswa
Click to expand...

fencesitter · Nov 17, 2013

all humans are not treated equally. they never will be. Since the beginning, its the world of the haves and the have-nots. And yes, humans are the superior race. I dont think its just the ethical issue which is preventing other countries to approve euthanasia.

Balajee · Nov 17, 2013

No they are not. Animals don't stab you in the back, they don't pull the carpet from under your feet. Nor do they dig your grave. All these are human "virtues" Animals show a lot more gratitude than the species Homo Sapiens. animals don't fight wars and kill millions of people. If they kill they have a reason to do so like feeding and defending themselves and their kin.

satchitananda · Nov 17, 2013

...Nor do they consider themselves to be the superior species and arrogate to themselves the right to decide other species' right to life after adopting them as pets.

Cheeniya · Nov 17, 2013

My dear Satchi
Animals with incurable illness being put to sleep and humans who see no valid reason to continue with this life ending it on an impulse are the biggest puzzle to me. The dominating factor here is the strong need to put an end to their suffering. It may be physical or mental. The suffering may be so overwhelming that they just want to end it without thinking of its ramifications. As human beings, we always think of an action only if it leads us to something better. In this case, such rationalization never takes place. No one asks the question, ‘What next?’

Take this pets being put to sleep for example. I have seen hundreds of street dogs which have severe deformity due to some accident or other continue living normally for quite a few years. But a domestic pet even with half of the problems of the street dogs is put to sleep. It leads me to believe that the owners of these pets take this extreme step to relieve themselves of the burden of having to support a sick pet. When they are active, they are endless sources of joy for the owners but the same owners cannot be bothered when they fall terminally ill. If a race horse falls down and breaks its leg, it is shot on the same day. These owners proudly parade their robust pets in front of their guests and they are a kind of status symbol for them. If they are paralysed and crawl around on their hind legs, they cease to be the Owner’s pride and are put to sleep. Noble thought? I really wonder!

We had a cute Pomeranian which developed some deadly skin problem and the veterinarian recommended putting it to sleep when it was just a year old. We kept it for 14 years until it died a natural death. We were giving it some imported injection every quarter and kept its disease under control. I do not want to go into the question of human euthanasia but animals are survivors. They just want to live. Why do we assume otherwise and put them to sleep?
Sri

satchitananda · Nov 17, 2013

Dear Cheeniya sir,

You hit the nail on the head. The very people who ooze human kindness when it comes to putting their pets to sleep when they fall ill and the going gets tough would not bat an eyelid when they see such desperately sick animals on the road side. This leads me to believe as you say that this is more a matter of convenience than anything else.....which then makes me wonder why they adopted a pet. The pet did not beg to be taken care of in the first place. So it is not kindness but convenience which is the driving force behind the action.