Anthropocentrism is the view that humans are superior to all other forms of life. The prevalence of this view suggests that maybe we humans have a maladaptive superiority complex -- an overly high opinion of ourselves.
Sure, the Old Testament says humans should have dominion over all other animals (Genesis 1:26), but maybe this ancient text is really informing us that we should take responsibility for our actions (D&C 121:41-42).
Chimps and bonobos (pygmy chimps), our closest living primate relatives, have populations that are reducing in size. Unfortunately, these animals are being extensively poached by humans in Africa.
Does the commandment to "love our neighbor" extend to chimps and bonobos? Regardless of how we might specifically answer that question, our moral responsibility to these animals is considerable.
The Bible teaches that all humans are biologically related to a common ancestor. Evolutionary biology generally agrees, and it goes a step farther by reminding us that animals are tied to a genetic code that cuts across species.
Humans have consciousness and a conscience. We are sentient beings with a moral awareness. Unfortunately, our violent capacities too often overrule those peaceful. But, it is a useful hope that education can overrule moral weakness.
Is anthropocentrism a moral weakness? I suspect so. It is better to embrace a broader view of the value of life.
Humans have an average brain mass of 1300 grams (plus or minus, because each individual varies). The great apes have brain masses between 300 and 500 grams.
It might be tempting to conclude from the brain mass data given above that humans are more intelligent than chimps. But, chimps have some cognitive abilities that far outstrip those of humans. For example, chimps have a better digit span memory. Could that be true???!!!! Yes.
College students learn in their introductory psychology courses that humans have a short-term memory capacity of seven chunks of information. For example, someone can say a seven digit phone number, and the listener would have a reasonable chance of dialing the number correctly, if done within a few seconds. Larger digit sequences lead to failure. This finding is so solid that we sometimes refer to our memory capacity as "the magic number 7."
The magic number of chimps is something well over 9, and their memory appears to be almost eidetic. Thus, we are not as superior as we would like to think.
See the research of Tetsuro Matsuzawa at Kyoto University in Japan. The research is amazing.
CONCLUSIONS: As humans, our moral cognitive abilities require us to think beyond ourselves. From our moral training we come to learn that selfishness is ultimately not in our self-interest. Our anthropocentric world view should be replaced with a high regard for conservation, our ecological environment, and all living species.
No longer can we argue that God placed us on this earth so that we can use it and abuse it. Both science and our theology teach us, instead, that we should (1) think of "others" and (2) clean up after ourselves. Anthropocentrism falls short of those ideals.
Copyright 2009 S.Faux (Email: foxgoku54 [at] gmail [d0t] c0m; URL: http://mormoninsights.blogspot.com). Readers may distribute this post for noncommercial purposes provided such distributing is of the entire post, including author's copyright and contact information. All other rights reserved.
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3 comments:
Interesting post, S.Faux. I too have problems with describing humans as superior to other species because it conjures up images of punitive hitlerian dominance. I think that we will be held accountable for how we treat animals. When I was a teenager I went shooting Robins (birds) with a 22 rifle for fun. As I grew older I eventually came to regret this and repented. I think the Spirit let me know that such behavior was inappropriate. The closer we are to the Spirit the more we learn about how to treat the animal kingdom.
There is a hierarchy in life that is difficult to express. This hierarchy exists in humanity's relationship to animals. The best way I can express it is to say that humans have moral agency (ability to discern and chose right from wrong) and animals do not. Also humans have an innate potential which is to become as God, something I am sure animals do not have. These two differences do not give us the right to abuse the animal kingdom which has been placed under our stewardship, but it does put us on a higher level than the beasts of the field. – 2 cents.
I think it is bizarre that we live in a world where we all eat each other.
Dave C:
All good points.
Our LDS theology lends to us a purpose and a responsibility. We know where we are headed and that we are accountable. We do NOT have, however, a license to murder, squander, and abuse.
Further, I think we LDS need to be humbled by the fact that we do NOT have a very deep understanding of how other animals (and plants) fit into the eternal scheme.
Stan:
Yes, nature is red in tooth and claw. My post is NOT to suggest that I am turning into a vegetarian. I do believe, however, that we need to begin to see ourselves (humans) as part of the continuity of life, and not something as separate and privileged.
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