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Lv 6
? asked in Arts & HumanitiesPhilosophy · 6 years ago

In philosophy man has the ability to know the difference between right and wrong ,the animal does not .?

when man says right and wrong do not exist has he become animal ?

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  • 6 years ago

    No. In philosophy, mas has the ability to arbitrarily interpret their own definition of 'right' and 'wrong'. How you put it presumes there is a demonstratable objective definition of right in wrong that philosophy leads to. Animals have a concept of right or wrong because they do not dualistically categorize everything into abstractions of thought. Man cannot know the difference between right and wrong, because the concept does not exist, and is only an artificial concept.

    Humans only know how to seek what is 'right' or 'good', but do not always know what it is. We do not naturally seek what is 'wrong' or 'bad', even it when we do it is because we believe it is right or good. Human's capacity to reason allows us to created a measure or standard as a means of guidance to what is "good" or "right". What is considered to be "right or wrong", "good or bad" is typically a subjective judgment of what is personally preferred and what is not.

    The only true way to know the right and wrong would mean identifying with and being everyone on an impersonal level.

  • 6 years ago

    That's just it, though....what is right and wrong? Quite vague concepts aren't they? What's right and what's wrong varies depending on the person, society, and culture, and there are worlds of different people, societies and cultures. So there is no definite "right or wrong" in my opinion. Itachi Uchiha once said "we live bound by what we accept as correct and true. That's how we define reality...but your reality can easily be someone else's mirage".

    Secondly, were a sort of animal ourselves. Keep in mind that we are ALL living organisms with many things that make us similar but also just as many things that make us different. So the question is, what does this difference truly mean in the grand scheme of things, you know?

    We are all born knowing to an extent. Babies are already born knowing how to walk, the same way birds are born knowing how to fly and fish are born knowing how to swim. That's instinct. Right and wrong is constituted Via individual perspectives. So is he an animal? Not necessarily.

    I think that's incredibly subjective and moot. Unless we redefine the word animal altogether. But again, right and wrong varies. So "knowing" right from wrong is very dodgy. Your idea of right isn't the same as someone else's.

  • Bob B
    Lv 7
    6 years ago

    No, or at least not in my book.

    The difference, as you said, is the ability to know the difference between right and wrong, not necessarily the same views on right and wrong that everyone else holds. Now, while most people agree that right and wrong do exist in some form, it's not inconceivable that someone could argue convincingly that they do not (the usual argument is that they are just behaviours we agree on rather than anything set in stone).

    Someone who takes this view still appreciates, or could appreciate, the concept of right and wrong, even if he doesn't agree with it. That's still different to not being able to understand the difference.

  • 6 years ago

    In philosophy man has the ability to know the difference between right and wrong ,the animal does not .?

    ~~~ Your question is in error.

    Philosophy is not about 'judgment' of others (or self), it is 'original critical thought'.

    Philosophy says that all 'good', all 'evil', all 'right', all 'wrong', exists in the (vain judgmental) eye (thoughts/imagination, ego, vanity) of the beholder!

    YOU!

    "We do not see the world as it is, we see it as we are!"

    when man says right and wrong do not exist has he become animal ?

    ~~~ Everything exists, the vain notions of 'right/wrong' exist in the insane duality of the imagination!

    Ever take a grade school biology class?

    Humans ARE animals!

    Animals that have the ego/imagination to imagine that they make 'choices'...

    That is all vanity!

    We do not make 'choices', we have no 'free-will', we act and think and speak in exact accord with our nature, who and what we are, AT THE MOMENT!

    When man says that 'right' and 'wrong' do not exist, he is wrong.

    They 'do' exist... in the vanity, the schizophrenic insanity, of the imagination, which OTHER SPECIES do not seem to suffer from!

  • 6 years ago

    Ah the smell of a well loaded question in the morning...smells like whimpering.

    Saying there is no right and wrong is not the same as knowing or not knowing the difference

  • 6 years ago

    I don't know. We think. I suppose other types of animals do too. Seems they are able to love and return warmth. I think there is some thinking activity in that on their part but then again I don't know of any scientific proof. It is just how I feel. As an animal that thinks, I don't see why other animals are not able to do so too.

  • small
    Lv 7
    6 years ago

    When man says right and wrong do not exist, he does not become animal because what he really means is that right and wrong are not absolutes or universally applicable as they can get interchanged according to situation and context.... we know right and wrong through our ability to prefer and judge and these two capabilities are inherently imbibed in us human beings that we can not shelve even if we so desire.

  • Anonymous
    6 years ago

    yes the human form of life gives us the ability to discriminate between good and bad, right and wrong, if we use that for our own and others welfare we become enlightened, if we use that ability to pamper our ego we will continue to live in darkness, like the animals

  • 6 years ago

    I don't agree three ways: Philosophy is not the only moral compass, philosophy is not PRIMARILY a moral compass and animals are not incapable of moral choice. So I disagree with all of it.

  • ?
    Lv 7
    6 years ago

    We are animals to start with. When was the last time you saw a Wolf , Elk , Fox etc kill another of their kind?

    I admit it happens when in rut but not for power and wealth.

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