virus: Abortion, etc.
John Aten (jwa@inx.net)
Wed, 13 Mar 1996 18:21:46 -0600
John Steele wrote that humans are "moral animals".
My question is what about the other primates? There is new evidence that
shows it is possible for certain other primates to think in terms of
morals. Primates are certainly more rational than the majority of
organisms. Chimps can communicate original thoughts and emotions to
humans through sign language; they can also do simple algebra problems.
This would seem to suggest that humans are not the only organisms
capable of rational or moral thinking. Aristotle called humans "the
rational animal", but no organism, it seems, is by default rational or
moral. Morality was created by early humans to stabilize our society,
(as Nietzsche said "by the weak to suppress the wrath of the strong")
which in turn made propogation safer and more secure than when the
society of humans was an anarchic animal mess.
--
John A.
jwa@inx.net