1. Essay: Intelligence and Moral Rights
Many people regard nonhumans as “inferior” because they lack human
intelligence. We humans are clever creatures to be sure, and our
intelligence is largely responsible for our domination of nearly every
region on earth. Whether or not our intelligence proves useful to our
survival in the long-term, however, remains in doubt, because the powerful
weapons we have used against the natural world are easy to use against each
other. Time will tell whether humanity self-destructs via war, environmental
destruction, or other means.
It is tempting for humans to define intelligence by the mental skills at
which we excel. However, nonhumans have their own kinds of intelligence that
has evolved to meet their own needs and challenges. For example, humans
should be impressed by the remarkable ability of squirrels to recall and
relocate scores of buried nuts, and migrating birds remember geographic
landmarks that guide treks up to thousands of miles. Some animals have
skills that we cannot fathom, such as echolocation in bats and whales.
Even if we were to play the unfair game of allowing humans to define what
constitutes “mental superiority,” most would agree that this is not morally
relevant. We do not regard the pain, suffering and death of a person with a
high IQ as more tragic than that a person with a lower score. This is in
part because there are many kinds of intelligence, and the lower-scoring
person likely has certain mental skills that exceed those of the
higher-scorer. Another reason is that we still have moral concern for those
who have lower performance across the board, such as people with mental
disabilities.
Some people think that having a soul puts humans in separate moral category
from nonhumans. I will explore this possibility next week.
Stephen R. Kaufman, M.D.
2. This Week’s Sermon from Rev. Frank and Mary Hoffman
Holy Spirit Power Follows God
3. Promote Animal Protection in the Faith Community
Ms. Thompson at the HSUS asked us to share this announcement:
The Humane Society of the United States’ Faith Outreach program engages
faith communities in animal protection issues, on the premise that religious
values call upon us to act in a kind and merciful way towards all creatures.
The program offers ideas for community ministry through The Fill the Bowl
Project, a pet food collection toolkit to help families with pets and animal
shelters in need; Eating Mercifully, our compelling documentary on
factory-farming issues, and Humane Backyard, projects for faith communities
to celebrate nature and wildlife. Seasonal resources include Compassionate
Living for Lent and St. Francis Day in a Box.
Visit www.humanesociety.org/faith. We are seeking volunteers to implement this important work.
To learn more and to apply for the Faith Outreach Volunteer role please click here: Volunteer. If you aren’t able to volunteer at this time but want to be contacted with specific requests based on interest and location, sign up here to become a faith ally - Ally.
You can also email dthomsen@hsus.org to learn more about how these free programs can benefit your church, University or organization and animals in need.