Dolphins have long been recognized as among the most intelligent of animals, but now the Times reports that a series of behavioral studies suggest that dolphins, especially species such as the bottlenose, have distinct personalities, a strong sense of self, can think about the future and are so bright that they should be treated as 'non-human persons.' 'Many dolphin brains are larger than our own and second in mass only to the human brain when corrected for body size,' says Lori Marino, a zoologist at Emory University. 'The neuroanatomy suggests psychological continuity between humans and dolphins and has profound implications for the ethics of human-dolphin interactions.'
For example, one study found that dolphins can recognize their image in a mirror as a reflection of themselves — a finding that indicates self-awareness similar to that seen in higher primates and elephants. Other studies have found that dolphins are capable of advanced cognitive abilities such as problem-solving, artificial language comprehension, and complex social behavior, indicating that dolphins are far more intellectually and emotionally sophisticated than previously thought. Thomas White, professor of ethics at Loyola Marymount University, has written a series of academic studies suggesting dolphins should have rights, claiming that the current relationship between humans and dolphins is, in effect, equivalent to the relationship between whites and black slaves two centuries ago.
“Thomas White, professor of ethics at Loyola Marymount University, has written a series of academic studies suggesting dolphins should have rights, claiming that the current relationship between humans and dolphins is, in effect, equivalent to the relationship between whites and black slaves two centuries ago.”
The relationship between whites and blacks was changed because it was agreed that blacks were HUMAN not because of any intelligence tests.
kbs2244 wrote:“Thomas White, professor of ethics at Loyola Marymount University, has written a series of academic studies suggesting dolphins should have rights, claiming that the current relationship between humans and dolphins is, in effect, equivalent to the relationship between whites and black slaves two centuries ago.”
The relationship between whites and blacks was changed because it was agreed that blacks were HUMAN not because of any intelligence tests.
Dolphins are, if not human, at least persons, intelligent individuals! And as such the US Constitution applies to them as it does to you! So, congratulations kb, you're getting millions of new fellow Americans in one fell swoop!
Well....
To be legal they will have to pass a test on the Constitution.
That might be kind of hard.
And the part where they have to put their hand over their heart when they say the Pledge of Allegiance, in English, might be a small problem.
Of course it used to be if you had proof of birth in the US then citizenship was automatic.
But we seemed to have overlooked that need lately.
So, in the end, you might be right.
