Dolphins

http://current.com/news/91825903_scientists-say-dolphins-should-be-treated-as-non-human-persons.htm

This paper is a rather interesting read, but it will not be the topic of discussion. Rather I would like to discuss the similarities of this paper and the discussion that occurred when England was trying to decide if aboriginees were people and exempt from hunting.

I take this to mean we should punish dolphins for committing murder and rape, as they are known to do.

I take this to mean we should punish dolphins for committing murder and rape, as they are known to do.

I flat out said the discussion isn't about the article.

The same could be said of the aboriginees, you aren't really making a point here.

I would like to discuss the similarities of this paper and the discussion that occurred when England was trying to decide if aboriginees were people and exempt from hunting.

That sounds boring. Dolphins are much more fun.

http://current.com/news/91825903_scientists-say-dolphins-should-be-treated-as-non-human-persons.htm

This paper is a rather interesting read, but it will not be the topic of discussion. Rather I would like to discuss the similarities of this paper and the discussion that occurred when England was trying to decide if aboriginees were people and exempt from hunting.

wait England had it legal to hunt people? um Okay this will sound stupid but what exactly do you want to discus? what level of intelligence should we give them human rights or something similar?

I'm strongly against the practice of hunting Moon Whales.  They are harmless creatures that work to protect us by hunting the deadly radioactive Moon Shrimp.

Quote from: Raist on February 10, 2011, 05:29:13 PM

http://current.com/news/91825903_scientists-say-dolphins-should-be-treated-as-non-human-persons.htm

This paper is a rather interesting read, but it will not be the topic of discussion. Rather I would like to discuss the similarities of this paper and the discussion that occurred when England was trying to decide if aboriginees were people and exempt from hunting.

wait England had it legal to hunt people? um Okay this will sound stupid but what exactly do you want to discus? what level of intelligence should we give them human rights or something similar?

Of course england never allowed the hunting of people. That would be barbaric. They simply had some rowsing discussions on what is human.

My point I guess is, are rights for minorities and rights for animals (although definitely not the same thing at the moment) are seeming to move in a similar direction and it appears we are making the same mistakes as we did last time.

Discoveries like these make me think that our system of ethics is going to have been seriously revised by 2100.

Hoever, I don't think Dolphins will be recognised as persons, even non-human ones, until we have a means of reliably communicating with them. We do know that pods communicate with one another with their own basic languages but is it sophisticated enough to convince people of their intelligence?

I really hope we don't have missionaries diving down to try to convert the dolphin race, they seem to be gleefully unaware of religion at the moment. Although it would be funny if the Dolphins listened to their pitch and then said "No, sorry, that's just whaleshit"

when England was trying to decide if aboriginees were people and exempt from hunting.

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They simply had some rowsing discussions on what is human.
[/quote]
Evidence?

Quote from: Raist on February 10, 2011, 05:29:13 PM

http://current.com/news/91825903_scientists-say-dolphins-should-be-treated-as-non-human-persons.htm

This paper is a rather interesting read, but it will not be the topic of discussion. Rather I would like to discuss the similarities of this paper and the discussion that occurred when England was trying to decide if aboriginees were people and exempt from hunting.

wait England had it legal to hunt people?

At the time, Aborigines were classified as a type of ape, I think. The discussion was probably whether this classification should change, since they were quite clearly more advanced than any other primate known to man, by virtue of being people. Ignorance is a strange thing sometimes.

Quote from: optimisticcynic on February 10, 2011, 05:46:18 PM

Quote from: Raist on February 10, 2011, 05:29:13 PM

http://current.com/news/91825903_scientists-say-dolphins-should-be-treated-as-non-human-persons.htm

This paper is a rather interesting read, but it will not be the topic of discussion. Rather I would like to discuss the similarities of this paper and the discussion that occurred when England was trying to decide if aboriginees were people and exempt from hunting.

wait England had it legal to hunt people?

At the time, Aborigines were classified as a type of ape, I think. The discussion was probably whether this classification should change, since they were quite clearly more advanced than any other primate known to man, by virtue of being people. Ignorance is a strange thing sometimes.

Again evidence?  This did not happen at all.