Rene Descartes Sympathy For Animals

Before divulging into the biological aspects and psychologically driven actions that prove sympathy in animals, one must understand the reason why the presence of sympathy in animals seems to be a novel concept. Contemporary animal compassion is primarily driven by access to information about the cruel treatment of animals particulary in slaughterhouses and labs. Therefore, this information is one of the primary causes of widespread animal compassion. In 1995, “two-thirds of Americans agreed with the following statement: ‘An animals’ right to live free of suffering should be just as important as a person’s right to be free of suffering’” (Leslie and Sustein). However, despite this widespread belief, animals are still seen as inferior beings

17th century French philosopher Rene Descartes defines animals as “mindless automata” or mere machines with no conscience or rationality. Moreover, by stating that human communication is a special trait which the animals or brutes lack, Descartes, in his “Discourse on Method”, implies his belief of the specialty of the human race. As he states, “ For it is a very remarkable fact that there are none so depraved and stupid, without even expecting idiots, that they cannot arrange different words together, forming from them a statement by which they make known their own thoughts; while, on the other hand, there is no other animal, however perfect or fortunately circumstanced it may be, which can do the same...they cannot speak as we do, that is, so as to give evidence that they think of what they say” (Brown, Hudecki, Kennedy and Snyder 163). Descartes believes that animals do not possesses the ability to communicate with rationality or conscience. He therefore concludes that “...this not merely show that the brutes have less reason than men, but that they have none at all, since it is clear that very little is required in order to be able to talk” (Brown, Hudecki, Kennedy and Snyder