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The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > Do Apes have the rights of personhood?
 
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Effectronica
May 31, 2011
Fallen Rib

DrSunshine posted:

I was reading the BBC today and came across these articles in this fascinating case. I'll quote them as a bit of a sounding-board to start off with:



http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-29542829


http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-30338231


Now actually the group seems to have made an interesting point -- we accept that certain things have the rights of personhood, corporations for instance. And apparently the state has ruled that in certain cases, animals have the rights of personhood as well, like when their owners have willed a trust to take care of them after their owner's death. A further point I'd make is that we already grant certain rights of personhood on people who are incapable of bearing legal duties or submitting to societal responsibilities, such as those who have severe mental handicaps, the senile, and minors. So to me, the judges' ruling seems a tad odd if it's justified on the stated basis, since, on that basis, could we not then take that as an allowance to deny rights of personhood to the certain groups I mentioned? Also, it strikes me as a bit circular: the chimp does not have legal rights as a person because it cannot bear legal duties, and it cannot bear legal duties because it isn't a person!

Well, at least it's food for thought, and at any rate, I'm not a lawyer. What are you folks' opinions on this?

I think that personhood for great apes, new caledonian crows, and other highly intelligent animals is hard to justify without inventing tiered levels of personhood, which might not be such a bad thing. But we can't reliably communicate with our intelligent brethren so it's hard to make them fully people socially, let alone legally.

* # ¿ Dec 5, 2014 06:16
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# ¿ May 15, 2024 17:59
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Effectronica
May 31, 2011
Fallen Rib

tbp posted:

Gorillas are the best animal on earth. Gentle and intelligent if they were allowed to live unthreatened in their big salad bowl worlds they would do it. They're ftw, and to kill and hurt them is among the most evil things that I can think of due to their goodness of heart.

Are we allowed to emptyquote in D&D?

* # ¿ Dec 5, 2014 14:55
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The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > Do Apes have the rights of personhood?