# Personhood for dolphins **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 11, 2010, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/personhood-for-dolphins/546277 "2010-07-11T04:20:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/personhood-for-dolphins/546277/61 "2010-07-12T17:49:44Z")
I’m looking forward to the inevitable **Clockwork** / \*\*Ivan \*\*pit showdown. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/personhood-for-dolphins/546277/62 "2010-07-12T20:00:06Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > Being able to question whether we should eat meat or not is evidence of our superiority, yes. > > Thankfully and, perhaps, conveniently, I don’t think animals are our equals and I’m fine with eating them. > > My argument is simply that if you _do_ think that they are our equals, it’s morally inconsistent to eat them. Couldn’t one argue the reverse? If we are indeed superior to other animals, in my mind that implies a responsibility to protect the species lower than on us on the totem pole—to be stewards of the earth, not sowers of its destruction. Note that this doesn’t imply becoming totally vegan, but this does require a change away from society’s ignorant acceptance of total laissez-faire omnivorism. In short, the law of the jungle can kiss my shiny, metal ass. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/personhood-for-dolphins/546277/63 "2010-07-13T03:39:22Z")
> [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](#): > > I’m looking forward to the inevitable **Clockwork** / \*\*Ivan \*\*pit showdown. I don’t think I’ve started a pit thread yet and I don’t plan on it. People can feel free to pit me, however, and I’ll happily link to it in my signature like last time! ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/personhood-for-dolphins/546277/64 "2010-07-13T03:40:36Z")
> [@Autolycus](#): > > Couldn’t one argue the reverse? Yes, one could. But whenever in doubt, just remember: If God didn’t want us to eat animals, why’d he make them out of food? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/personhood-for-dolphins/546277/65 "2010-07-13T10:07:11Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Zogh-Uhr of Zeta Reticuli disagrees! When we contact the sentient beings of Zeta Reticuli, we’ll probably eat them, too. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/personhood-for-dolphins/546277/66 "2010-07-13T11:43:19Z")
> [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](#): > > When we contact the sentient beings of Zeta Reticuli, we’ll probably eat them, too. “Stupid human…what part of ‘sulfuric acid based life form’ did you not understand? Looks like we need them to send another Ambassador!” ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/personhood-for-dolphins/546277/67 "2010-07-13T12:12:16Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > “Stupid human…what part of ‘sulfuric acid based life form’ did you not understand? Looks like we need them to send another Ambassador!” The fact that Zeta Reticularians are toxic to eat does not dissuade us. This merely makes them a gourmet item, like fugu. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/personhood-for-dolphins/546277.md?page=3)