Are animals equal to humans?

Question

animals have souls and personalities just like us, so they should be equal to humans, right?

Answer 1

yes

I do not like it when we disect animals but then again humans disect other humans as well

by the way; the soul reincarnates

so the bugs you step on could possibly be the next Malcolm X

It is wrong to kill ANYTHING or think it is beneath us

however; obviously like animals we need food.  So I eat meat but I do not overeat.  Just like Plants have souls too. So if I am full; I would not overeat my vegetables..or pollute being that that is an insult to the kami.

TO THE GUY WHO SAID THAT ARE YOU SURE WE HAVE SOULS; THERE IS EVIDENCE LEADING TO THAT.  Scientific; someone did an experiment by weighing a human body just before it died. After the body died; the weighed it again and it was less weight. That is just one primary example.  Look it up before you contradict this man.

Answer 2

Being equal is defined in many different ways and most Americans would define this term as one's intellectual capability.  What is rarely taken into account however is the fact that animals have many senses and abilities that humans lack.  Examples include night vision, amazing sense of smell and ability to run super fast.  When one answers this question with a clear, straight "no" they are deciding that humans are actually better than animals simply because they are able to speak and reason.  However, if this were applied to all questions of equality, a severely mentally retarded human or a human baby would be less equal to a fully capable adult.  That is not fair and does not make sense.  As a 17 year old vegan, I feel that it is important for humans to remember the special abilities that animals have and keep in mind that animals feel pain and joy just as humans do.  If possessing special abilities and feeling were to define equality then yes, animals and humans would be equal.  However, this is not the common definition and obviously a human would be quick to save the dying baby before the dying puppy.  All I really mean is that "equality" can be defined in many ways and your definition of this term will find the answer for you.

Answer 3

The basic principles are there, eating, sleeping, mating and defending but animals have no sense of responsibility.

For human life  there is a  plan. In the animal society  they cannot be educated spiritually. Humans and the lower animals have four common activities that are necessary for maintaining the body—namely, eating, sleeping, mating and defending. But the humans have a higher intelligence and more developed consciousness than the animals. The human form of life is meant for searching out higher truths. Until a person starts asking questions—“What am I?” “What is the purpose of life?” “What is God?”—he is no better than the animals. Most people are simply engaged in satisfying the four animal propensities without any concern for spiritual development. This is a complete waste of a most valuable life.

Answer 4

Equal at what?

I mean, if you use that logic, you'll need to start trying every dog who doesn't secure prior consent when they mate as a rapist...

Answer 5

Yes you are right even animals must get the right equal to humans.....humans just are dominating the animal world by its brain power.....according to intellectual capacity definately humans are superior but according to understanding capacity I think animals prove to be more understanding nature`s power, others feelings and have acute senses.....so there is no harm in considering animals equal to humans and also we humans get wild often so we have no right to call other creatures wild and dumb and ourself social and peaceful

Answer 6

i have been thinking lately that humans may be glorified apes..for we are alike in many ways....emotions and intelligence.  and yes there are many arguments of yes and no but are we above or are they below?  what say you?

Answer 7

I think that all life has equal value, equal importance to a healthy ecosystem.

But many humans, in reality, don't even think that all humans are created equal.

Think: Slavery, Hitler, Darfur,Cambodia, etc.....

so the question, although a good one is mute.  We have a long way to go.

Answer 8

Are you sure we have souls? You got anything to back that up? And further, we ARE animals!

Answer 9

We are are equal just because some animals are smaller than humans does not mean there not equal. Animals should have are rights they may not be as smart be they are all equal

Answer 10

My cat doesn't think so. He believes that cats are far superior to humans. Remember that dogs have masters and cats have staff. So it depends on the animal. This is for sure however, in my experience animals have better common sense than humans.

Answer 11

yes they are,according to hinduism.you have to go through

1lakh84000 lives to get a life of human being.they still

have to prove it.accoding to hinduism they should be equals.

Answer 12

no we are superior.

Answer 13

They can't ask the questions like u

Answer 14

no way.if you had to choose between saving mom and saving fido would there be any conflict?

Answer 15

Ring-tailed Lemurs are superior to humans.

(that was texted to me by a member of the Graveyard Gang in Madagascar)

Answer 16

I do not think much of the soul part, but my dog eats before I do.

Answer 17

No body has rights to anything unless the powerful give it to us.

Souls? Get a grip man!

Answer 18

Well i guess its all in the eye of the beholder!! Some people car more about animals then human beings, take a look at Hitler he killed millions of innocent people, but loved animals. Some people feel more pain when a crime is commited against an animal more then against a person. Look at those commercials about children in other countrys and then there is those commercials about pets being put to sleep, i know a few people cry at the animal commercials and turn the channel at the children's commercials!! It all depends!! Personally i don't believe animals should be held at the same level as a human, and many people dont believe animals have souls!!

Answer 19

no.

It's ability to think logically and abstractly that defines a sentient lifeform.

Besides, existance of soul is kinda debatable. And some say that plants, objects and even places have personality.

Answer 20

When animals die, that's it, they don't go to heaven or h**l, they just cease to be. They have their different personalities, I'm sure, but they are not equal to humans. They should be treated nicely and all, though. Humans have body soul and spirit and therefore live on after the body dies, but not animals.