Comments for Plato's Beard

Comment on PETA | The Faces of Animal Testing by ravi

ravi — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:03:49 +0000

Even if one feels no moral compassion for animals, what is amazing is that in light of research that consistently shows that animal cruelty correlates with sociopathic behaviour, society does not pay more attention to its own ability to do this sort of violence to animals. A human being who is able to do this, even under the guide of “life-saving medical research” (by which of course is meant “human life”), has to be sick and a society that encourages and supports these actions has to be fundamentally morally flawed.

What is ironic is that those working on animal liberation — who take great care to not harm humans when they carry out rescue or equivalent operations — are labelled “terrorists” by the government, whereas this sort of wholescale terrorism against animals is not merely condoned but celebrated (“research”).

Comment on PETA | The Faces of Animal Testing by divya

divya — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:23:39 +0000

makes you agree with the rants of the discovery bldg bomber – humans are scum and should be wiped out.
ofcourse he was shown mercy and allowed to die w/o suffering, something these poor animals cannot be allowed to do.

Comment on Analogies about the WTC Islamic Centre and the ADL by ravi

ravi — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 23:21:00 +0000

Allogenes, thank you for the correction about the UU. I apologise and will update the post. The mention of Westboro Baptist is not to suggest that they have claimed responsibility for Stonewall. Rather, they are proudly associated with homophobia and are, in name, a Christian church. Ergo, by the current reasoning, a church near the Stonewall site would bring up images of Christianity, which equates to the Westboro Baptists, which equates to homophobia, and hence pain and suffering for victims.

Comment on Analogies about the WTC Islamic Centre and the ADL by Allogenes

Allogenes — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 22:59:44 +0000

The Unitarian Universalist church (to which I belong) does not identify itself as “Christian;” your analogy would be more appropriate if, rather than a mosque, something like a Bahai temple (which only the uninformed might associate with Islam) were being proposed for Ground Zero. (I’m not sure even Hitchens has had anything to say against us, though I’m sure he could come up with something given his talents.) Also, even Westboro Baptist can’t claim responsibility for Stonewall; the NYPD did not claim to be acting on behalf of any form of religion.

Comment on Noam Chomsky on vegetarianism and animal rights by ravi

ravi — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 16:24:25 +0000

Mark, indeed, I think arguments that discount this implicit preference/behaviour are disingenuous i.e., often those who oppose animal rights/welfare arguments retreat to absolutist theoretical positions placing the burden on me to “prove” that animals suffer and that such suffering is similar to mine, and further that such suffering falls within the moral realm we apply to each other. Retreating to such a position, they refuse to acknowledge or account for their own acts of consideration towards animals.

Comment on Noam Chomsky on vegetarianism and animal rights by Mark Cameron

Mark Cameron — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 14:51:09 +0000

“…because nobody knows anything.”
That says it all, at least about consciousness. However, subliminally, we may know everything. The conflict arising from these two diametrically opposed states of knowledge may have no resolution, ultimately.
I know I love my dog, and I know he loves me, too. That’s enough for me, and him.

Comment on Noam Chomsky on vegetarianism and animal rights by Il vegetarianesimo è un prodotto del progresso morale? « L'Officina Cognitiva

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 12:05:55 +0000

[...] Testo originale [...]

Comment on More on poverty and relief by ravi

ravi — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 15:59:20 +0000

Charles, thank you for your comment.

Comment on More on poverty and relief by Charles Karelis

Charles Karelis — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 15:49:38 +0000

From the author. Thanks for posting this very adept summary.

Comment on Anti-whaling for the hard-nosed reductionist by ravi

ravi — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:27:36 +0000

Dave, thank you for the comment. I share your scepticism. Japan in particular seems committed to responding out of spite.