how can you value not intentionally making them suffer, but not also conclude that we should give resources to them to make them happier?
I devote a bit of my limited time to helping ants and other beings as the opportunities arise. Giving limited resources in this way is a win-win; I share the rewards with the ants. In other words, they’re not benefiting at my expense; I am happy for their well-being, and in this way I also benefit from an effort such as placing an ant outdoors. A lack of infinite resources hasn’t been a problem; it just helps my equanimity and patience to mature.
Generally, though, all life on Earth evolved within a common context and it’s mutually beneficial for us all that this environment be unpolluted. The things that I do that benefit the ants also tend to benefit the local plants, bacteria, fungi, reptiles, mammals, etc. -- me included. The ants are content to eat a leaf of a plant I couldn’t digest. I can’t make them happier by feeding them my food or singing to them all day, as far as I can tell. If they’re not suffering, that’s as happy as they can be.
I think the same is true for humans: happiness and living without suffering are the same thing.
Unfortunately, it seems that we all suffer to some degree or another by the time we are born. So while I am in favor of reducing suffering among living beings, I am not in favor of designing new living beings. The best help we can give to hypothetical “future” beings is to care for the actually-living ones and those being born.
Great points and question, much appreciated.
I devote a bit of my limited time to helping ants and other beings as the opportunities arise. Giving limited resources in this way is a win-win; I share the rewards with the ants. In other words, they’re not benefiting at my expense; I am happy for their well-being, and in this way I also benefit from an effort such as placing an ant outdoors. A lack of infinite resources hasn’t been a problem; it just helps my equanimity and patience to mature.
Generally, though, all life on Earth evolved within a common context and it’s mutually beneficial for us all that this environment be unpolluted. The things that I do that benefit the ants also tend to benefit the local plants, bacteria, fungi, reptiles, mammals, etc. -- me included. The ants are content to eat a leaf of a plant I couldn’t digest. I can’t make them happier by feeding them my food or singing to them all day, as far as I can tell. If they’re not suffering, that’s as happy as they can be.
I think the same is true for humans: happiness and living without suffering are the same thing.
Unfortunately, it seems that we all suffer to some degree or another by the time we are born. So while I am in favor of reducing suffering among living beings, I am not in favor of designing new living beings. The best help we can give to hypothetical “future” beings is to care for the actually-living ones and those being born.