Similar values are enshrined in law in most countries.
To the extent that the law accurately represents the values of the people it governs charities are not necessary. Vales enshrined in law are by necessity irrelevant.
(Noting by way of pre-emption that I do not require that laws should fully represent the values of the people.)
I do not agree. If the law says that killing a human is much worse than killing a dog, that is probably a reflection of the views of citizens on the topic.
If the law says that killing a human is much worse than killing a dog, that is probably a reflection of the views of citizens on the topic.
And yet this is not contrary to my point. Charity operates, only needs to operate, on areas that laws do not already create a solution for. If there was a law specifying that dying kids get trips to Disneyland and visits by popstars then there wouldn’t be a “Make A Wish Foundation”.
You said the law was “irrelevant”—but there’s a sense in which we can see consensus human values about animals by looking at what the law dictates as punishment for their maltreatment. That is what I was talking about. It seems to me that the law has something to say about the issue of the value of animals relative to humans.
For the most part, animals are given relatively few rights under the law. There are exceptions for some rare ones. Animals are routinely massacred in huge numbers by humans—including some smart mammals like pigs and dolphins. That is a broad reflection how relatively-valuable humans are considered to be.
If the law says that killing a human is much worse than killing a dog, that is probably a reflection of the views of citizens on the topic.
And once it’s enshrined in law, it no longer matters whether citizens think killing a human is worse or better than killing a dog. I think that is what wedrifid was noting.
To the extent that the law accurately represents the values of the people it governs charities are not necessary. Vales enshrined in law are by necessity irrelevant.
(Noting by way of pre-emption that I do not require that laws should fully represent the values of the people.)
I do not agree. If the law says that killing a human is much worse than killing a dog, that is probably a reflection of the views of citizens on the topic.
And yet this is not contrary to my point. Charity operates, only needs to operate, on areas that laws do not already create a solution for. If there was a law specifying that dying kids get trips to Disneyland and visits by popstars then there wouldn’t be a “Make A Wish Foundation”.
You said the law was “irrelevant”—but there’s a sense in which we can see consensus human values about animals by looking at what the law dictates as punishment for their maltreatment. That is what I was talking about. It seems to me that the law has something to say about the issue of the value of animals relative to humans.
For the most part, animals are given relatively few rights under the law. There are exceptions for some rare ones. Animals are routinely massacred in huge numbers by humans—including some smart mammals like pigs and dolphins. That is a broad reflection how relatively-valuable humans are considered to be.
And once it’s enshrined in law, it no longer matters whether citizens think killing a human is worse or better than killing a dog. I think that is what wedrifid was noting.