Choosing one species over your own

[YingYang]

So after reading this http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthre...=1#post8515999, I decided to create this thread to find out people's opinions and views about this.

It is innate and our responsibilities to provide for and care for our offspring to ensure survival of our species as a whole. However after I read this here

I won't align myself with those who theorise based on the animals being children, because who's to say the same mentality doesn't apply there?

, I began to wonder...

If I had to run into a burning building and see a dog, I'd try and save it, but as soon as I see a fellow human beign and I cannot save the dog as well then I'm going to have to leave the dog there

Why would I choose the life of a species other than my own to be more significant than my own species? Please note I'm not attacking this poster above, but his comment itself.

Let's go!

[STS]

personally i'd save the dog

[RazedInBlack]

If its a child, I'd probably try and save the child. Depends also on who is more capable or more in distress. It won't be an easy decision.

[DJ...]

This:

If I had to run into a burning building and see a dog, I'd try and save it, but as soon as I see a fellow human beign and I cannot save the dog as well then I'm going to have to leave the dog there

Does not equal this:

Why would I choose the life of a species other than my own to be more significant than my own species?

Not sure what you're asking...

[YingYang]

This:



Does not equal this:



Not sure what you're asking...

Simple: Why do some people equate the life of a dog to that of a human being.

[DJ...]

Simple: Why do some people equate the life of a dog to that of a human being.

Empathy. Sympathy. The simple ability to think beyond ourselves. The fact that we tend to try help those who can't help themselves. I'm not sure the burning building example is sinking in though because it isn't clear at all. I also think that this is a highly circumstantial argument. As an animal lover, I would probably save the human being if I had to make a decision between the two.

Self preservation instincts however will over-ride both of those options...

[rwenzori]

As an animal lover, I would probably save the human being if I had to make a decision between the two.

Unless it was Julius Malenema.

[Nick333]

We think of animals as the helpless victims of the human world and people as the perpetrators of cruelty who should be able to take care of themselves. It's pretty much the same reason we have more sympathy for children than we do for adults.
I'm not sure how many people would really choose to save an animal rather than a human though. I'd have to hear about an actual incidence before I was willing to speculate.
A lot of people support animal charities instead of ones for people - myself included. It's an interesting phenomena. I do find I'm more compassionate towards other people as I get older but I think it's because it's easier to feel sympathy for animals because they aren't responsible in anyway for their circumstances.
At the end of the day though I would rescue any relatively innocent human being from a burning building before even my own pets.

[abzo]

Depends if it's my dog...

[RazedInBlack]

Depends if it's my dog...

What if its a hawt chick?

[abzo]

What if its a hawt chick?

Mutts over sluts

[RazedInBlack]

Mutts over sluts

Ok! So you watched Animal Farm

[D3x]

Human any day!

I have also told my wife to NEVER ever swerve for any animals smaller than a car if she is about to hit them. Swerving = death or injury to another human so rather kill the animal, or hope it moves in time.

[YingYang]

Human any day!

I have also told my wife to NEVER ever swerve for any animals smaller than a car if she is about to hit them. Swerving = death or injury to another human so rather kill the animal, or hope it moves in time.

I talk to my wife about this all the time (she loves animals).

[Elimentals]

Relevant:

CITATIONS

Jailbreak rat: Selfless rodents spring their pals and share their sweets
http://www.scientificamerican.com/ar...=jailbreak-rat

Biological altruism
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/altruism-biological/

Altruism: an accident of nature?
http://www.apa.org/monitor/dec06/altruism.aspx

Inclusive fitness theory from Darwin to Hamilton
http://www.genetics.org/content/176/3/1375.full

A fight about the genetics of altruism
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2...fa_fact_lehrer