Why would it be ok to own, say a chimp, but not own a human?
But What About Voluntary Slaves?
Voluntary Slavery and Lawful Consent
There are also good discussions in the comments.
Clayton -
I would say because the chimp can’t stand up and say you don’t own me. And, if my pets get out, i actually do let them go. They usually come back.
“I don’t understand?”
Those are links to things that Clayton has written regarding the matter of human ownership. I am therefore making a massive assumption and assuming that he thinks reading those would answer your question.
Why would it be ok to own, say a chimp, but not own a human?
What are your own opinions on the subject?
Why is ok to throw a rock and not a human?
That’s a loaded question, Wheylous.
Thus, it is OK to throw Wheylous because he is not human.
QED
Clayton -
Kant tackles this issue all over in his ethical and moral writings.
Rational beings are not to be treated as means, but only as ends (thus they are both the legislator and interpretor or universal laws - namely that humans are rational beings). Animals do not have the ability to think rationally (they only act on impulse) thus they cannot conceive of moral living (they cannot universalize their maxims of choice to universal laws) and aren’t “rational.” You can disagree with this, but that is Kant’s distinction between the human animal and the average animal and it has had some staying power in the intellectual realm.
Probably for the same reason that it is ok to kill and eat an animal where it’s not in regards to humans.
“What are your own opinions on the subject?”
I think it is wrong to own a chimp.
What if this chimp prefers to live in a loving human home than in the wild?
I think that it is foolish to own a champ - cats and dogs not so much.
Depends what the ownership entails I suppose. Are we talking about having a chimp as a pet, or owning a chimp so it can do chores around the house and sweep chimneys?
Why can’t that be both? Why can’t you have a dog that is a pet and that herds sheep?
Why can’t that be both? Why can’t you have a dog that is a pet and that herds sheep?
That’s a very good point. Sheepdogs love to herd though, so I suppose it all depends whether the work being done is in the animals nature. Not sure I would like to see a dog being forced to work, if such a thing would be possible.
Before dogs were used to herd sheep by man, was it in their nature to herd sheep anyway? Did man witness a dog herding sheep on its own and got this idea or did man have to train the dog to herd sheep?
“Probably for the same reason that it is ok to kill and eat an animal where it’s not in regards to humans”
What about people in a permanent vegetative state? Can we nibble on them?
I would totally buuld a chimney just to see a chimp sweeping it.