Are Dolphins going to be given "Nonhuman Person" status soon ?

Happyflowerlady

Happyflowerlady

Vagabond Flowerchild
Location
Northern Alabama
Here is a quote from an interesting article that I was just now reading about dolphins, suggesting that since they are so intelligent, and so socially developed, that they should be considered as a non-human species of person .
Say what ?


I am totally in favor of all creatures being treated humanely by people, and no animal should be abused, or treated cruelly, but I do not believe that we should be giving them basically human status.
They would have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, just like a human ? Rights to be married next maybe, so we will soon be seeing dolphin wedding ceremonies, and then paternity suits ?
Read this article quote, and see what you think :


The Ministry notes increasing worldwide efforts to bestow basic rights onto dolphins, such as the rights to life, liberty and bodily integrity. “Various scientists… have suggested that the unusually high intelligence… means that dolphins should be seen as “nonhuman persons” and as such should have their own specific rights… (it is) morally unacceptable to keep them for captive entertainment purposes.”

http://dolphinproject.org/blog/post/india-bans-captive-dolphin-entertainment
 

Hmmn. I think we (as a species) are still a long way off from accepting the rights of non human life forms.
If intelligence is the bench mark then I think all cetaceans should be included which means all whales should have rights too.
And what about intelligent invertebrates like the Mediterranean octopus? Or smart birds like cockatoos?

I think a better approach would be to appeal to our own humanity and require humans to treat all life forms with respect to their needs, including their emotional needs. No species needs to be cruelly treated or harmed without good cause.
 
I'm all for letting them live naturally and not being held captive for entertainment purposes. I recently heard a talk show where the person had worked among the whales and others on display in places like SeaWorld. He said it was heartbreaking to see a mother whale cry and mourn when they take her baby to be kept for show purposes.

He also said that the killer whale who killed 3 trainers, was still kept around so they could use his sperm for fertilization, with no concern for his temperament. If they did away with circuses, zoos, and shows like SeaWorld...I'd be VERY happy.

Way too much animal abuse behind the scenes, and if we don't think so, then our heads are buried in the sand. I don't see any unusual rights that they're giving these dolphins...so talking about marriage and paternity is a bit over the top, IMO.
 

SeaBreeze said:
... If they did away with circuses, zoos, and shows like SeaWorld...I'd be VERY happy ...
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/\/\/\ This.

I enjoyed them as a kid, but then I was pretty stupid as a kid also. Yes, you'll hear arguments that zoos serve as protective habitats for endangered animals ... well, if people hadn't either polluted the animal's habitats or hunted them to extinction in the first place we wouldn't NEED the zoos.

As for circuses - ones like Cirque du Soleil are fantastic, have no animals and have my full support, whereas ones like Ringling Bros., with their common use of bullhooks and blowtorches on elephants and cramming the big cats together in cramped living quarters, should fade into history.

Dolphins are assuredly intelligent. Their complex social structure, ability to communicate in unique ways, their problem-solving abilities and even their ability to reason from cause to effect (witness their helping fisherman catch fish, then their young learning this by observation) all point to a higher level of consciousness.

The problem I think is that as humans we like to think we are unique, that we are the only high-order intelligence in the neighborhood and that no mere animal could ever come close. It's a prejudice, a very strong one, and one that we don't even think of as being a prejudice, but it's there plain as day.

Personally I think the term "non-human person" falls a bit short for descriptive ability and probably acceptance - I would prefer something more along the lines of "conscious being" or "higher life form".

I don't think the marriage rights are necessary since dolphins are basically promiscuous - like I said, they're intelligent. ;)

Just a thought on the so-called "rights" of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness - America doesn't own the market on giving "rights" such as these; we were just the first to enunciate them as such. Humans have no more natural "right" to life or liberty than dolphins; we just had the opposable thumbs to write it down. How do we know that dolphins don't already have their own "Bill of Rights", far superior to our own? Pretty presumptuous of us to think otherwise ... maybe it's THEM that should be giving US a few "rights" ...

"So long, and thanks for all the fish". :playful:
 
Basically, what Phil said, on all points.

Too many people see dolphins as some angelic creature whose characters we should aspire too. Well, they're sure almost human.
They've been proven to form disruptive gangs of young males. They gang bang any stray females they can catch. They've been proven to have murdered infant Dolphins for the kicks. I saw a film of one attempting to murder another by launching a headbutt straight into his underbelly at great speed from below. Yep, almost human ain't they?

They tolerate humans for the same reasons dogs do. We feed 'em.
I wouldn't insult their intelligence by granting equality with us though.
 
That Guy said:
I've spent many, many hours in the water with these amazing creatures and can assure you they are wild animals.
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... and I've spent many, many hours bouncing in a strip joint and I can assure you that most of the customers - AND many of the dancers - are also wild animals.

But THEY were granted rights.

So, your point is ... ? :playful:
 
SifuPhil said:
... and I've spent many, many hours bouncing in a strip joint and I can assure you that most of the customers - AND many of the dancers - are also wild animals.

But THEY were granted rights.

So, your point is ... ? :playful:
Click to expand...

Let's just leave the dolphins alone and stop trying to include them as part of our insanity here on land. Probably why they returned to the sea in the first place.
 
That Guy said:
Let's just leave the dolphins alone and stop trying to include them as part of our insanity here on land. Probably why they returned to the sea in the first place.
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Excellent...why do people always have to attribute human qualities to animals and exploit them. All species have their own unique way of coping with nature, that's what makes them special. Why can't we just appreciate and enjoy them for what they are, and leave it at that?

I love The Gangstas for the animals that they are, I don't want them to be humans. I moved up here to get away from humans!

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