Moral justification on 'uplifting" some animals?

[Techno-Druid]

I'm just thinking of what Nixx said. Planet of the Apes and shit.

We outnumber all the ape species combined, so that is no problem and a few escaping and starting a civilization isn't that much of an issue because as long as they don't prevent an issue to humans, then they would need to be transported to another area. On that same note, wouldn't they be considered people if they could talk and had culture.

[Tokru]

What happens when they get angry and hold a grudge?

Who cares? They will be living in cages their whole life. Or do you think we would actually set them free? Even if it's just Hollywood, movies do can teach us some lessons.

[Zethras]

Who cares? They will be living in cages their whole life. Or do you think we would actually set them free? Even if it's just Hollywood, movies do can teach us some lessons.

"Oh shit guys, we pissed off a sentient species, let's lock them up in cages so they can't hurt us."

That's called slavery.

[Sindile]

Let evolution happen naturally because the moment you fuck with mother nature, she fucks with you back...and it will hurt much worse

[Techno-Druid]

Who cares? They will be living in cages their whole life. Or do you think we would actually set them free? Even if it's just Hollywood, movies do can teach us some lessons.

That would be a part of the terms I would think, allowing them some freedom to do whatever they please. Even if it's not on equal terms with humans, at least they should have a choice in how their lives are run.

[Issalice]

I think we need to focus on "uplifting" our own species' intelligence before we worry about another's...

lol no kidding. I'd prefer is science focused on more important matters frankly. There is plenty wrong in the world that could use some help.

[dextersmith]

I could just imagine the discrimination talking apes that walked around cities would get.

Animals are not people, accepting them as such leads to bestiality.

[Deleted]

I think we need to focus on "uplifting" our own species' intelligence before we worry about another's...

Our own race has rights no matter how bad a person is where animals have little to none.

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Anyone seen deep blue sea? The scientist tried to engineer a great white, giving it more intelligence and the results aren't fabulous.

Someone should uplift both the actors and the director of that pile of shit that they call a movie.

[Dejablue]

It is not implausible, we have already done this with dogs.

The difference I am assuming is DNA manipulation in the embryonic stage which is far removed or at least sufficiently more advanced than selective breeding that conditions unintended will not be naturally filtered out via natural selection.

[Techno-Druid]

Animals are not people, accepting them as such leads to bestiality.

I would call a talking ape a person, I wouldn't sleep with one because I prefer human women. There is nothing wrong with granting a future sapient species as a person, with basic rights of a person. They would not be considered human, but people, because they would most likely consider themselves as people and we would have no right to take that from them.

[Deleted]

just dont do dolphins, before you know it, they are travelling round in spaceships, finding forgotten artifacts, starting interstellar war, disrupting life across 5 galaxies and generally causing problem for everyone, and insist on spouting crap haiku and trying to have sex with anything that moves....



Otherwise....no. No moral objections at all.

[Dendrek]

We'd be creating a competing intelligence. One that would have as much right to its own autonomy as humans have, and one that would almost certainly have to go through severely difficult social revolutions just to not be mistreated by humans. They would have to suffer through many of the same atrocities that certain groups of humans have throughout history, possibly including slavery, genocide, persecution, being bared from owning land, voting, civil rights... etc. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. That doesn't even address the impact it would have on human civilizations. We can't live peacefully with other human beings. How can we possibly expect we'll be any better with another species? This would be a tremendously bad idea.

[DEATHETERNAL]

"Uplifting" animals is pretty high on the list of things we could senselessly do to create more problems and conflict in the world with no foreseeable benefits.

[BatteredRose]

I think it's possible, but superfluous. We already have smart animals. Humans.

I think much more interesting is the rise of machines as intelligent life forms. Which could, in all respects, surpass us.

"When a computer loses it with a meter maid, or kills itself because it's getting too fat, then I'll believe in artificial intelligence."
-Rube

[King Shark]

Anyone seen deep blue sea? The scientist tried to engineer a great white, giving it more intelligence and the results aren't fabulous.

They weren't great whites, they were mako sharks. /snob.

On topic, I agree with the following:

"Uplifting" animals is pretty high on the list of things we could senselessly do to create more problems and conflict in the world with no foreseeable benefits.

And what that earlier poster said about unfucking our own stupidity first. Of course I'm paraphrasing on that point.

[Independent voter]

When they can pass the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turing_test, I say we give them full human status.

Being cute show not give you a "get out of cosmetics testing free" card.

[Techno-Druid]

When they can pass the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turing_test, I say we give them full human status.

Being cute show not give you a "get out of cosmetics testing free" card.

Yes, but being civilized will

[dextersmith]

I would call a talking ape a person, I wouldn't sleep with one because I prefer human women. There is nothing wrong with granting a future sapient species as a person, with basic rights of a person. They would not be considered human, but people, because they would most likely consider themselves as people and we would have no right to take that from them.

Are sexy whales and spiders people too? Concerning sex, Futurama, Star Trek, Family Guy....

[zephid]

I think it's possible, but superfluous. We already have smart animals. Humans.

I think much more interesting is the rise of machines as intelligent life forms. Which could, in all respects, surpass us.

Which is also the reason why we shouldn't try to create AIs.

[Deleted]

I doubt an actual scenario could happen of that nature, especially if we actually gave them their own land.

Disagree. We're currently in a situation where nobody but other humans could challenge our control over this planet. What you and some other people adocate is creating competing species for no particular reasons that could on the long run become a direct threat to the continued existence of humans on large. You also propose handing them large parts of the planets for no particular reason or gain.

If anything that is one of the most amoral and disgusting things I could imagine anyone doing, proposing or supporting and even as questionable as some humans are it implies a lot of selfhatred and hatred of humans in general to even consider such a thing.

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"Uplifting" animals is pretty high on the list of things we could senselessly do to create more problems and conflict in the world with no foreseeable benefits.

Basically this, it makes zero sense to produce competing species for no gain whatsoever.

Seems a tad like slavery.

At which point do computers become slaves? If we start treating them as people would it even make sense to keep constructing them since we can't expect them to actually do what they were constructed for since it would be slavery also?