famous statement by Joseph Joubert, the 19th-century French moralist: ‘The aim of argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.’
moral consideration
Animal Liberation - Singer himself rejects the concept of ‘rights’, instead saying that the interests of animals need to be considered because they can suffer,
speciesism. He describes how it favours humans: ‘the racist violates the principle of equality by giving greater weight to the interests of members of his own race, when there is a clash between their interests and the interests of those of another race. Similarly the speciesist allows the interests of his own species to override the greater interests of members of other species. The pattern is the same in each case.’
ethologist Marc Bekoff writes, ‘Animals not only have a sense of justice, but also a sense of empathy, forgiveness, trust, reciprocity, and much more as well.’
Now, whether the conceit of a species having specific value requires scrutiny, we will come on to later.
we recognise that animals are sentient, that they suffer pain and fear, and we, aware of this, should do our best to remove pain and fear from their lives. So far so good. The next idea is also true – that in nature, wildlife suffers pain and fear through the process of predation.
When was the last time you ate a chicken? Effect on birds?
I think it is important that we take a moment with every one of these decisions to pause, and to remember we are setting ourselves up as judge, jury and executioner – or at least supporters of those that are. We are fully embracing the idea of human exceptionalism – the idea that we, as a species, are able to play god with the rest of the world.
Baboons email - Niemöller
But playing god is never going to be straightforward. The sparrows of China were declared an enemy of the state in 1958 by Chairman Mao. He had calculated that by killing a million sparrows, grain to feed 60,000 people would be saved. So a nationwide eradication attempt was launched; 2.8 million sparrows were killed in Shantung Province alone. The result? A catastrophic failure of the rice harvest. Because what Mao had failed to recognise was the staggering number of insects these usually granivorous birds feed their young – plant-eating insects that were left to ride unhindered through the nation’s larder. The campaign was quietly dropped and sparrow numbers were back up to where they had been within just three years.
Even with ecologists aplenty, we are left with the problems that challenge the head and the heart as they fall out with each other.
the moderate and considered space in the middle.
Things that I thought were true have turned out not to be true. And in all honesty, when presented with new evidence we have to reconsider our thoughts.
Whether the amount of good done by hedgehogs is counterbalanced by their partiality for eggs and young birds, is a point upon which our Acclimatisation Society has as yet arrived at no definite conclusion.
Bad enough I had to sterilise them, taking away the females innate right to be Mum's and turning the males into eunuchs, I made a commitment to them that I would take care of them for the rest of their lives and make a plan in the event that I was no longer able.
What had the hedgehogs done to deserve that sort of treatment? They did not ask to be there. They were just behaving as hedgehogs behave; it is our mess, our fault. Which is great, if you are still in primary school. But as you grow up you have to take responsibility for the mess that is made, even if you are not immediately responsible. That is the shorthand version of what was said.
they are guilty of eating the eggs of some ground-nesting birds on coasts or on wide riverbeds, predating native snails and insects, and competing with native animals for food. How great a threat they represent is still unclear. Despite their transgressions, however, hedgehogs enjoy a special place in most people’s affections. Small, bumbling, vulnerable creatures, they are, above all, a visceral reminder to be careful while crossing the road.
What they add to society and our joy as a whole, their individual natures and characters,
There is much to be done and very little money to do it with.
So, once we have accepted that there is a degree of subjectivity being applied, we need to look for it, account for it and incorporate it openly into our discussions.
So, once we have accepted that there is a degree of subjectivity being applied, we need to look for it, account for it and incorporate it openly into our discussions.
Cats were introduced to the Cederberg region by human inhabitants to control pests like rats, scorpions, and snakes, a practice seen in other areas such as Australia and New Zealand where cats were brought by settlers to combat rodent problems. This introduction, however, has led to increasing feral cat colonies that now compete with and threaten the native African Wildcat population through interbreeding and predation.
managing toads in national parks, but ensuring that no new populations are established, and trying to reduce their impact on biodiversity where they are already entrenched.
The take-home message about this species is that the best way to stop a cane toad invasion is simply not to start one.
killing for conservation
Cats are as much a part of the nature as anything else and have the same rights of being conserved as anything else.
We need creative collaboration – not “I’m right, you’re wrong” bickering. We need to be willing to work through our distaste of other people’s views.’
‘it is only mutual respect, compromise and compassion that will keep them there’.
It is not surprising that Goebbels used the metaphor of rats to depict the Jews being prepared for extermination. We should always be careful with how we communicate.
Yet all of the animals concerned can suffer and we, as a society, have decided that some are worthy of more care than others.
If we are going to do the work, do it as well as possible; keep the number of animals used to a minimum; and finally, if we can do it without interfering with the animals, then that should be the goal.
If you have taken the normative (deontological) view that all killing is wrong,
https://www.sava.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Feral-cats1.pdf
I'm a feral cat Trusted Guardian and also the TG of many domesticated cats from knowing them since they were babies
provide food, water or shelter in conjunction with an authorized TNR program
Keepers and caretakers provide a valuable service, and the law should not discourage these individuals from caring for animals in need.
When a side willingly employs tactics that are designed to terrorise, you need to consider what sort of group it is.
If it comes down to choosing to kill one to save the other, would you say yes? And perhaps more importantly, could you do it?
We find this violent eradication programme unacceptable, especially when a humane alternative is available.
I am not a cruel person, I could never leave a snap trap to do its best, and spreading poison in this place would be criminal. I use live traps that I check regularly – no animal is left overnight.
And even if I do not hold the Kantian view that the real damage when dealing out cruelty to animals is the harm it does to the soul of the perpetrator, I do wonder what it does to a person.
Justifying killing
Sanitising it
Dehumanising and labelling as radicals and extremists the real rescuers, when really, killing is the only extreme act and is the easy way out as opposed to the one requiring work and commitment.
Just because you can doesn't mean you should and it's not beneficial - bible
Forced to - more distortion here, the enemy is a liar, he's good at convincing people to do heinous acts, all in the name of science, medicine or conservation.
Well-meaning voices may call for dramatic action, but do not necessarily help the cause.
The work of Craig, however, is far more considered, and while I still feel uncomfortable with all of the killing, it is being done with a goal in mind … and the goal is not the accumulated bodies of the target, but the flourishing of the conserved, something that all conservation projects must keep in mind.
The real invasive species here is man
So much of this work comes down to understanding people’s values,’ Jaclyn continued. ‘I have worked with wildlife for most of my life, I have worked for the RSPB and the Wildlife Trusts. My values are deeply rooted in that world. But it would be arrogant in the extreme to move to a community and assume everyone felt the same.’
Successful communication and cooperation with local people leads to successful conservation.
The biggest threat was, predictably, the remaining rodents. Mostly rats. Rats have been linked to the extinction of 5 endemic bird, 13 invertebrate and 2 plant species on the islands. Rodents are recognised as a threat to at least a further 13 bird species, 2 reptiles, 51 plants and 7 more invertebrate species.
Back to the turning point – well, it was as simple as the congregation recognising that perhaps my presence on the island was God’s work, and that my being there was evidence of the need to remove the rodents.’
It is a bit like our relationship with nature – when somewhere becomes too popular it needs to be controlled, or rather, we need to be controlled from damaging it. This is the reason that the title for my first book was supposed to be The Hedgehog’s Dilemma – the Schopenhauer idea that if you get too close to the one you love you end up causing pain. We need to find the closeness that brings connection without causing damage, pain or suffering.
Emergent complexity briefly defeats the void.
Loving God, loving Creation, leaving a legacy
You only have to look into their eyes and search your heart to know right from wrong
"Until he extends the circle of compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace" Albert Schweitzer
Lachuné Yellow - skin and bones, bled myself dry, lyrics,
Coldplay's "Yellow" is about unwavering devotion and love, symbolized by the color yellow, which represents brightness and hope. The lyrics describe the singer's willingness to do anything for the person they are addressing, comparing their acts of service to the stars themselves. The phrase "and it was all yellow" signifies the overwhelming feeling of devotion and joy the person inspires in the narrator.
Key Themes and Interpretations
Overall Message"Yellow" is an uplifting and heartfelt song about unconditional love and admiration. The narrator's actions are small compared to the radiance of the person they are addressing, who is a source of joy and inspiration, making the entire world feel "yellow" or bright.
When did he ever say it's not about anything? There's a very early interview where he says it's about exactly what it sounds like it's about: being willing to do anything for someone you care a lot about.
The Goodness of God Lachuné - God has never failed me
We need to do better, we are more beautiful than we realise and more powerful than we know.
Our power comes through the power of the Holy Spirit.
