Sells, an alternative view regarding the state of the world is that the type of issues refered to is that we are in a state of transition (in a whole lot of ways).

- Society is less insular. Most have a much better knowledge of other cultures than has been the case in the past. Some of us are discovering that just because our culture does something a certain way does not mean that it is the only way it can be.

- Technological. We are seeing massive technology changes which are impacting on most aspects of our lives.

- Changing place of organised religion in our lives. We are still exploring what a world without a creator god means and how we should live in that world.

- Changes to gender roles. We are still working through the changes resulting from shifting the balance of visible power in gender issues.

All of these things and more will bring upheaval during the transition. Unheaval can by messy, ever moved house and dealt with the disorder before you have unpacked and found the right place for everything?

It does not mean that the move is a bad thing, it does mean that we can expect some difficult times until we get settled in.

So, after all of the above philosophical wanking - do any of you really care about the mulesing of sheep? Do any of you care that they in pain without humans attending to their arses?

I do care about the sheep klw!

I believe that if farmers fed their sheep more in keeping with the natural way that a sheep would eat, then they would not need to have their arses scalped. As I understand it, if their poop was more solid rather than being similar to diarrohea, it would not adhere to the wool and the flies would not lay eggs in it. Do you know about this?

Peter Selleck, I am not attempting to argue that there are no differences between humans and the other animals. However, I do not believe that there are any simple and definitive criteria.

There are humans without speech and animals that can produce speech (parrots). Some animals can produce behavior that is more complex than certain humans.

Perhaps relative size of cortex would be a more accurate, but to use this criterion would mean that you are denying humanity to some people with brain damage.

My point about the difficulty in determinging human from other animal is in accord with your view that rationality and objective criteria are not an adequate way to determine some things.

However, I think that Christianity (our seminal story) has had a long time now to prove itself adequate (2000 years?) and it has not been able to do so. Let’s try something else. I think Peter Singer offers some very moral and ethical views on ways of thinking about how we should determine our behaviour.

Our civilization does not and did not, have all the answers to the problem of human existence. There are other civilizations or societies who took a different approach. We need to consider the possibilities that the 'other' offer.

I think it is quite interesting that some human societies did not believe that humans do have the right to use the other animals any way we choose.

RObert
I agree that change is not always a bad thing and that it is inevitable. However I think that our present situation cannot be explained in terms of change alone. We have reached a point where nihilism reigns, a “historical reality defined purely by negations”. You can see this in the comments on my articles, there are some who are outraged at the thought of any affirmation of truth because they fear that it will infringe their freedom. Ours is a time, the first time ever, when we avidly claim that our lives are formed by no story but only by our self will. We like to think we can invent ourselves out of whatever society leave lying around. This can be the only explanation of the culture trash we produce, the awfulness of commercial television, the myriad unfurnished selves whose focus is entirely on the pleasurable moment. This is more than the result of technological and social change it is quite literally the death of the soul.

There you go again Peter..... begging the question.
In the words of that sensitive Roman fellow Pilate "What is truth".
(Before you guffaw remember he washed his hands of it all and is not a guilty party....apparently)

You seem to assume that we know that you know what the "truth" is. Can you tell us please?
a. If you know
b. What it is.
You complain about the modern society as if you have a solutlion to its ills. Can you please inform us of this solution. Is it something new or are you suggesting that if we all become believers like you then the state of the world will improve dramatically.
I'm not being a smart a#$% I really want to know what you suggest will work instead of dancing around the topic. If you can demonstrate your truth and its resulting benefits then I will consider conversion from my heathen state. (Plain English please Peter...you know I have a limited education)