Do people care more about the welfare of animals than the welfare of human beings?

Question

This is a very general question, but I welcome your thoughts.

I have always been fascinated by the 'Milgram Experiment'

http://www.cba.uri.edu/Faculty/dellabitta/mr415s98/EthicEtcLinks/Milgram.htm

The experiment was repeated as part of an exploration into violence on a recent TV programme, in which 75% of participants were willing to administer a lethal dose. Frightening.

I am convinced that no-one would partake in a similar experiment if it involved animals. So why humans?

Answer 1

There are definetly some humans i couldnt give a toss about. Animals dont have a voice so yes in some cases for sure

Answer 2

That article is nothing but sensationalist.



Dave s/g is right (hold the phones!) that volts means nothing. You could have 0.05 amps driven across 400V; or 5 amps driven across 100V - the latter is far more dangerous.



You can even buy 'games' - aimed at the gadget obsessed trendy male - where laser-activated guns and chest packs administer mild shocks of many volts to the user.



The reason I mention all this is because, as someone who knows the parameters of the 'torturing' medium, I would not have the same reservations about pressing the 'bzzzzt' button than others.



And yes, people do care far more about animals than humans. Although the human race at times sickens me, and there are some freakishly disgusting examples...



On the whole, value of life must be measured on level of sentience. As a human is a more sentient being than a dog, then if for whatever reason a choice must be made between the two, the human must be saved ahead of the dog.



EDIT:- I am trying to make the point that in my case, I would KNOW that voltage is not the indicator of deadly torture and hence would not believe I was killing the participant.

Also, it does not shock me that people did pursue the scale right to the end of 450 Volts. There are a multitude of tests available that show the lengths another human will obey one he believes is in authority - these tests show that in many cases, human 'subjects' have the uncanny ability to suspend their logic and emotion when under the command of another, whom they believe to be in total authority.

Answer 3

Forgetting about the science of electronics for the moment. Lets assume that the participants know nowt about amps versus volts. Many people would have reservations about torturing a dumb animal. Though a great many would be only too happy to turn that dial all the way to a fatal charge.



I often wondered how I would react in this experiment. I suspect that I would be happy to administer a humorous level of shock, but would fall short of causing pain and suffering. I know that at the first sign of hurt, I would be asking the participant if it was ok to continue. But then the reality may be that I would zap them till they started to smoke.



In the animal experiment, I would slap the scientist, till he learned better.



edit. My favourite way of viewing the difference between volts and amps is the bus analogy. A fly hitting you at 60mph might make you go "ouch", but a bus hitting you at the same speed would mince your guts up. The amps are roughly equivalent to the mass, or amount.

Answer 4

I doubt the people in the experiment genuinely thought they would kill someone. I can't get into the volts/watts debate because I know nothing about it. Sadly though your point about people caring more for animals is true. The R.S.C.P.A gets twice the donations per year as the N.S.P.C.C, that says a lot to me. How many child abuse cases do you here about where there was a well cared for dog on the premises while kids went without.





Wow, so this experiment actually took place in the early sixties and was related to Nazi war crimes? Now I'm really out of my depth. Perhaps people in 1961 were less likely to rebel. Were The Rolling Stones invented yet, they've got a lot to answer for.

Answer 5

You forgot to declare that PETA etc might additionally like canines and cats to pass extinct and that they might choose to compliment which human beings breed and which ones do not. they had additionally choose to kill toddlers they planned to be non-suited or "disabled" as 2 of my very own toddlers are. forget approximately that my young ones have plenty greater IQs than maximum of their friends. In PETAs eyes my little boys are nicely worth decrease than the lifestyles of a dogs. A puppy is aspects, era. PETA does not choose this to be. So, if i pass and take your dogs which you have raised and experienced for 6 years, you may not do something approximately it. Too undesirable for you. do not hassle calling animal administration approximately it. they'd't do something. he isn't your aspects is he? i did not take something which you very own. He has the "good" to come again stay with me now 'reason I feed him Viscount St. Albans and you do not. Ugh. How stupid is that?! My vote will continually be for animal welfare, humane scientific care of the two animals and human beings, not animal "rights". this would nicely be a no-brainer.

Answer 6

Whilst i am moved by the NSPCC adverts, so do the adverts for the Blue Cross and the plight of donkeys move me. I am torn both ways. Animals can't speak for themselves and in some cases cannot fend for themselves. I do think that countries that have a poor record in animal welfare things seem to happen to them. Flood, famine and disease seem prevalent in countries that are cruel to dogs etc.

Answer 7

"I am convinced that no-one would partake in a similar experiment if it involved animals."



What evidence have you got to back up this statement?



I bet people said the same thing about the Milgram experiment before it was conducted.

Answer 8

One would have to assume that the humans participating in the experiment were willing to do so...

Not so with animal experiments.

That's the difference.

Answer 9

Most of us have so little to do with animals that we can't remember anything bad thay have done to us. But many of us can remember when some human has hurt, abused, scolded us that we have learned how to hate humans.

Answer 10

Some people do and I have a friend who definitely does. She is also a mother. I use the word friend loosely because I really have no understanding of what I consider to be unnatural feelings.

Answer 11

Yes.



There are far too many people who go misty eyed at the sight of a cute lil puppy or kitten,who if given a rifle, would be only too willing to take potshots at illegal immigrants and fat chavs .

Answer 12

Some people do.

Answer 13

What about bugs, cause I have no issue taking my handheld bug zapper and frying those things to a crisp!

Answer 14

well i went to the website and that is so horrible i never heard about this before but i tell you i think it is completely wrong what they did.

Answer 15

i know i do

Answer 16

i have no idea