Species: an artificial divide?

[chica]

Argentine dog saves abandoned baby

An eight-year-old dog has touched the hearts of Argentines by saving the life of an abandoned baby, placing him safely alongside her own new puppies.

The country's media are calling him "the miracle baby".

He was born prematurely to a 14-year-old girl in a shanty town outside the capital, Buenos Aires.

She is said to have panicked and abandoned the boy in a field, surrounded by wooden boxes and rubbish.

Then along came La China, reports say, the dog which somehow picked up the baby and carried her 50m to place him alongside her own puppies.

The dog's owner reported hearing the child crying and finding him covered with a rag.

The baby, weighing 4kg (8lb 13oz), had some slight injuries, but no bite marks. The owner called the police and the child is now being looked after by the authorities, while a decision is taken about his future.


Hippo defends Antelope

 

[5am]

Are you suggesting a new definition for a specie? Something like "a group of organisms capable of helping one another"? I don't think it will catch

 

[Dave]

Argentine dog saves abandoned baby

An eight-year-old dog has touched the hearts of Argentines by saving the life of an abandoned baby, placing him safely alongside her own new puppies.

The country's media are calling him "the miracle baby".

He was born prematurely to a 14-year-old girl in a shanty town outside the capital, Buenos Aires.

She is said to have panicked and abandoned the boy in a field, surrounded by wooden boxes and rubbish.

Then along came La China, reports say, the dog which somehow picked up the baby and carried her 50m to place him alongside her own puppies.

The dog's owner reported hearing the child crying and finding him covered with a rag.

The baby, weighing 4kg (8lb 13oz), had some slight injuries, but no bite marks. The owner called the police and the child is now being looked after by the authorities, while a decision is taken about his future.


Hippo defends Antelope

I don't care. I still hate PETA.

 

[5am]

Leopard female and baby Baboon

 

[chica]

Are you suggesting a new definition for a specie? Something like "a group of organisms capable of helping one another"? I don't think it will catch

Haha, no, but I like the idea

Recently we've had a discussion about racism, and how races are not a valid basis for categorizing people. Not too long ago it was outrageous to marry a human of a different race. Race doesn't matter any more, actually it has been suggested that there is no such thing as race. But why stop there? This planet is inhabited by animals, and if they want to do things with other species that they normally do within their own species (e.g. exhibit altruism), why not consider it perfectly normal and acceptable?

 

[Not Right in the Head]

The baby was born prematurely, but it weighed nearly 9 lbs?!? Bullshit.

Anyway, Feral Children is an awesome Web site that will teach you more about this kind of case than you ever thought possible. Highly recommended.

 

[chica]

The leopard video and the feral children are totally fascinating.

 

[5am]

Haha, no, but I like the idea

Recently we've had a discussion about racism, and how races are not a valid basis for categorizing people. Not too long ago it was outrageous to marry a human of a different race. Race doesn't matter any more, actually it has been suggested that there is no such thing as race. But why stop there? This planet is inhabited by animals, and if they want to do things with other species that they normally do within their own species (e.g. exhibit altruism), why not consider it perfectly normal and acceptable?

Who says it's unacceptable? These things happen all the time. If you live with animals I'm sure you know it.

The classification of organisms into species is needed in order to study and understand complex concepts in biology, from evolution to cell biology.

Like any other classification, it is artificial in a sense, but it's not randomly defined.

 

[chica]

Who says it's unacceptable? These things happen all the time. If you live with animals I'm sure you know it.

Well, you know. Some things are deemed acceptable, but some are not. For example, imagine humans always having a meal with their dogs and eating from the same plate. Or god forbid having sex with consenting adult nonhuman animals.

The classification of organisms into species is needed in order to study and understand complex concepts in biology, from evolution to cell biology.

Like any other classification, it is artificial in a sense, but it's not randomly defined.

Exactly, but neither is race. There are biological differences between races, at least so small like having a gene for dark or fair skin. Differences so small separate dogs from wolves, for example. But why would biology matter? If wolves are your family, stay with them, be a wolf, even if you're genetically a dog or a human. That story of Amala and Kamala was heartbreaking

 

[EPbabe]

This planet is inhabited by animals, and if they want to do things with other species that they normally do within their own species (e.g. exhibit altruism), why not consider it perfectly normal and acceptable?

I don't really get your point. How could you prevent them from doing so?

Well, you know. Some things are deemed acceptable, but some are not. For example, imagine humans always having a meal with their dogs and eating from the same plate. Or god forbid having sex with consenting adult nonhuman animals.

You are completely nuts.

 

[chica]

I don't really get your point. How could you prevent them from doing so?



You are completely nuts.

It looks like you answered your own question

 

[5am]

Well, you know. Some things are deemed acceptable, but some are not. For example, imagine humans always having a meal with their dogs and eating from the same plate. Or god forbid having sex with consenting adult nonhuman animals.



Exactly, but neither is race. There are biological differences between races, at least so small like having a gene for dark or fair skin. Differences so small separate dogs from wolves, for example. But why would biology matter? If wolves are your family, stay with them, be a wolf, even if you're genetically a dog or a human. That story of Amala and Kamala was heartbreaking

You right, biology shouldn't matter for how an individual lives her/his life. It doesn't mean we should stop classifying animals.

 

[theneverplayedsymphony]

I don't care. I still hate PETA.

Peta are twats and hypocrites, there's no need to link all animal welfare and rights etc with them!

 

[Amy]

Argentine dog saves abandoned baby

An eight-year-old dog has touched the hearts of Argentines by saving the life of an abandoned baby, placing him safely alongside her own new puppies.

The country's media are calling him "the miracle baby".

He was born prematurely to a 14-year-old girl in a shanty town outside the capital, Buenos Aires.

She is said to have panicked and abandoned the boy in a field, surrounded by wooden boxes and rubbish.

Then along came La China, reports say, the dog which somehow picked up the baby and carried her 50m to place him alongside her own puppies.

The dog's owner reported hearing the child crying and finding him covered with a rag.

The baby, weighing 4kg (8lb 13oz), had some slight injuries, but no bite marks. The owner called the police and the child is now being looked after by the authorities, while a decision is taken about his future.


Hippo defends Antelope

Chica, your life must be one endless hubbub of excitement .

 

[chica]

You right, biology shouldn't matter for how an individual lives her/his life. It doesn't mean we should stop classifying animals.

Classifying might be good for an individual. For example, to know what health risks you might have because biologically you belong to a certain species or race. But yes, just because you're human or leopard or whatever doesn't mean you have to do what someone decided is "human behaviour" or "leopard behaviour" or "bull behaviour"

 

[oye terence]

i am my own species,the terence species.
i do not i understand this thread,haha but i am not really awake,someone explain to me what i am supposed to be thinking about.

all i have got so far,is those cute stories,and i already knew animals were cute and thus i do not eat them.

 

[chica]

i am my own species,the terence species.
i do not i understand this thread,haha but i am not really awake,someone explain to me what i am supposed to be thinking about.

all i have got so far,is those cute stories,and i already knew animals were cute and thus i do not eat them.

It's about speciesm, and how our species is arrogant and paternalistic

 

[oye terence]

It's about speciesm, and how our species is arrogant and paternalistic

oh hai

i will ponder and come back then.

 

[chica]

Hai Please don't think too hard if you've just woken up, you might hurt yourself