Humans just need to learn…
The speciest view is that animals don’t feel pain; or if they do, they don’t have the ability to express this pain because they lack the mental capacity to be able to speak. This is due to the “fact” that they are of a lower grade of species than Homo sapiens are. And since they are unable to learn to speak, we, therefore, are unaware of their pain. So, obviously, it is the animal’s fault that humans cause them pain because they are not intelligent enough to speak to us and tell us that abuse hurts.
The Speciests view: the smaller the brain, the dumber the animal. All animal’s brains are smaller than Humans, so all animals are dumb.[1]
In reality, it is a very well known and documented fact that animals feel pain, and that they do express it. The problem is that some humans are so dense that they cannot understand that when an animal is harmed, it does not cry out in glee to please its punisher; it cries out in pain. Pain is a universal language; one that all species on this planet understand. What is it that makes one species able to say that another doesn’t speak it? This type of speciesism lead to the dim-witted thinking that humans are the only species that do.
It is not a matter of whether or not animals can speak at all. Evidently they can, but the solution is that we humans lack the mental capacity to understand their version of language. Animals are actually smarter than humans since they are able, and apparently have the brain capacity, to learn how to communicate with humans, verbally or non-verbally. “Nonhuman animals like Alex,Washoe, KoKo, and Kanzi have learned to use to languages devised by humans.” (790) If animals are smart enough to learn our language, why can we not learn theirs? “How should humans be if expected to learn another species’ language, say that of a bottle nose dolphin? Even if other species did lack the capacity for some typically human type of language and reasoning, why should this be the criterion for superiority?” (790)
1This African Grey has the mental capacity to talk to her human.[2]
It is only superiority because humans are the only ones who understand human languages. Every species has their own form of communication, as heard recently in class. Who is to say that to them their language is not the superior language? Obviously animals can learn other forms of languages as they respond to our attention getters and commands. “The said question of the said animal in its entirety comes down to knowing not whether the animal speaks but whether one can know what responds means.” (715) When I call my cat’s name she responds; that is if she chooses too. Also she can tell the difference when I talk to her, for example, when she is in trouble for knocking over a glass of milk onto the carpet, or when I am wanting love from her.
Not only can animals learn and understand our language, but they speak to each other as well. Animals communicate to each other through their own universal language that we humans, again, do not have the brain capacity to understand. Given the history of abuse and using animals as laborers, what would animals say about humans? We compare animals and their, mostly untrue, characteristics to other humans that we disapprove of. “But why should calling a woman a ‘bitch’ impute malice and selfishness? Given that most dogs are loving and eager to please, the metaphor’s sharp content seems puzzling.” (787) Really, this is more of an insult to animals than it is to humans. If animals understand this part of human language, I can only imagine what they are saying to each other, or calling each other angrily, about humans.
The new solution is now that we humans need to sharpen our minds and expand our mental capacity to understand the language of animals. Only then are we Earthlings able to live together in harmony with complete and utter understanding. Animals are definitely smarter than humans. To put a new twist on an old pun: It’s not the size that matters, but the motion of the ocean. The volume of capacity of the brain is what matters. If intelligence is a factor for language, then humans are the foolish species. But there is hope on the horizon. A recent article showing humans are getting smarter. Some scientists recognize Dolphin’s to be smarter than Apes; thank you to Elephant for posting the article. Once we are able to understand other, we can live in perfect tune with each other. I truly believe that we can learn so much more about our world if we humans just took the time to learn.
Finally, some recognition for the Dolphin for being smarter than Apes, maybe even more so than Humans. For the full article: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/science/article6973994.ece [3]
[1]http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0S020zjnrNLGFoAHSCjzbkF/SIG=12c4hgkqv/EXP=1270149219/**http%3a//www.ee.cityu.edu.hk/~lelab/wsyw/images/brain2.jpg
[2] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrKvudS76Hg&feature=channel
[3]http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/science/article6973994.ece
