Hacker News Reader

Comment by theonething | Hacker News Reader

I'm all for protecting dogs and other animals from cruelty, etc, but elevating their rights to that of a person? Come on.

Despite the many similarities we share with animals and regardless of your opinion of how bad and destructive humans are, we always will be qualitatively different from animals in a way that gives us rights that animals should not have. If we grant dogs the right of personhood, then they should be able to vote, marry, go to school... reductio ad absurdum.

I'm a dog lover myself, but this (American) societal tendency to blur the delineation between humans and animals is a slippery slope to absurdity.

View on HN

> I'm all for protecting dogs and other animals from cruelty, etc, but elevating their rights to that of a person? Come on.

We really are mimicking the fall of the Roman Empire. Next step: animals can vote. If they have the same rights as humans, then why not? After that comes being able to vote them into congress. I know people who think voting for a Beagle would be a better alternative than their local congressman.

We already do that. Aren't there some towns in some states that have a dog as their mayor or some shit? It's pretty amusing to me.

The right to not be killed for food is a long way from being able to vote, go to school or be married. No-one is suggesting that, you're straw-manning.

> “If we went a step further and granted dogs rights of personhood, they would be afforded additional protection against exploitation."

The linked articles are suggesting that animals should be given similar protections as infants, since the two are of similar cognitive capacity. This eliminates any right to vote/marry etc etc, and voids your reductio-ad-absurdum objection

The article quoted by TFA suggests a limited personhood for animals as one possible response to the study. This is not the same as elevating their rights to that of a person.

> “If we went a step further and granted dogs rights of personhood, they would be afforded additional protection against exploitation."

Reply on news.ycombinator.com