Blaze of Glory

[northernladuk]

Would you disembowel a 3 year old who picks up a worm in the garden and squishes it?

Unfortuantely Doodab I have to agree your arguments are a tad flawed in this case so opening you up for the stick you are getting. If you want to be comparable it would be...

A 3 year old that takes over an hour slowly and knowingly torturing a worm to the brink of death before finishing it off. The earthworm is a petty example to use but wouldn't you think there was a problem with a 3 year old conciously doing that, even to a worm. I certainly would!!!! Mental issues in the making there.

The difference between a cat playing with and a man slowly and painfully killing their target has been shot down by a number of posters so no further comment needed.

[MaryPoppins]

A 3 year old that takes over an hour slowly and knowingly torturing a worm to the brink of death before finishing it off. The earthworm is a petty example to use but wouldn't you think there was a problem with a 3 year old conciously doing that, even to a worm. I certainly would!!!! Mental issues in the making there.

Well, I'm not sure a 3 yr old has a concept of life and death, so it probably wouldn't be a conscious decision to torture then kill. It would be a kid mucking about with something they found on the floor that wiggles, then stops wiggling.

[doodab]

That's a bit worrying.

It is.

I have arguments, but they all rely on a subjective judgement of some situation being more desirable than the alternatives. I've no watertight foundation for moral absolutes, and I think it may be impossible to construct one, which will make the "why" phase difficult.

I'd always hoped I could avoid saying "because I said so".

[MaryPoppins]

I think the "playing" aspect is similar to the reason children play, i.e. to learn and practice things.

Just stole this from a website, which better explains what I always thought to be true:

Cats kill their prey by delivering a neck bite that severs the spinal cord. To do this, they must temporarily release the prey to get at the nape of the neck, but when they do so, they risk the prey escaping or counterattacking. Small animals will defend themselves if they get the chance. Mice, rats, and other rodents can deliver a vicious bite, and birds can peck. A cat has a very short muzzle, and to get close enough to apply the neck bite, she risks injury to her eyes and face from the prey.

A cat will “play” with her prey to tire it out in order to reduce the risk of injury to herself, but she is not actually playing in the human sense. She is simply doing the job that her instincts tell her she must do in order not to starve, and protecting herself in the process. If the prey is lively, the cat could suffer a serious bite that might become infected and lead to death. Only when the prey is sufficiently tired and dazed is the cat able to make the kill.

[MaryPoppins]

It is.

I have arguments, but they all rely on a subjective judgement of some situation being more desirable than the alternatives. I've no watertight foundation for moral absolutes, and I think it may be impossible to construct one, which will make the "why" phase difficult.

I'd always hoped I could avoid saying "because I said so".

I suppose I can relate to that. I hope not to resort to that, either.

[doodab]

Unfortuantely Doodab I have to agree your arguments are a tad flawed in this case so opening you up for the stick you are getting. If you want to be comparable it would be...

A 3 year old that takes over an hour slowly and knowingly torturing a worm to the brink of death before finishing it off. The earthworm is a petty example to use but wouldn't you think there was a problem with a 3 year old conciously doing that, even to a worm. I certainly would!!!! Mental issues in the making there.

I used the earthworm because it actually happened. He didn't torture it, he played with it for a few minutes i.e. picked it up, poked it a bit etc but nothing malicious, I think even the squishing was more out of curiosity.

The difference between a cat playing with and a man slowly and painfully killing their target has been shot down by a number of posters so no further comment needed.

I never mentioned cats. That was somebody else.

[MaryPoppins]

I think even the squishing was more out of curiosity.

[AtW]

How so, moron?

Because free range animal has got a nice life and then sudden "visit to hospital", that a massive drop from a good life, where as poor battery chicken has got lower expectations and imminent death can be view as a relief

[Spacecadet]

poor battery chicken has got lower expectations and imminent death can be view as a relief

sounds like a new labour policy

[AtW]

sounds like a new labour policy

Apparently the new name for Liebor party will be: New Hard Labour