ANIMAL RIGHTS? and anthromorphism

Scientists will sometimes attribute human traits to non-human creatures whether it be because of personal experience, animal history displaying great attributes, or because of reasons on the basis of mythology.  This is referred to as anthromorphism.  

Anthropology in itself is the study of humans and their interactions with each other, and sometimes the technique of anthromorphism combined with anthropological arguments to promote animals rights.

The question is, is it valid enough to support the argument of promoting animal rights?

There has been reverse anthromorphism for hundreds of years.  Humans have given and been given animal traits for centuries.  It's a sense of respect for some cultures, giving them self names like cheetah because they are extremely fast, and then a sense of disrespect for others  such as calling an enemy an ape (trying to suggest they are primitive...or hairy)  But if you look at ancient mythology from Ancient Egypt and South America many of the idolized or gods have animal characteristics and even animal heads!  It seems that throughout the times, at least part of mankind has always retained the idea that animals in some sense are more knowledgeable than we think.  I mean it makes sense if you think about, flight and the ability to breathe under water are both animal feats that humans could only wish for.

The interchanging of giving animals human characteristics and humans animal characteristics have occurred all the way to the present.  But do animals see the way the world humans do?

It actually has been proven that animals do see the world very differently from man. Some cannot see color and some hear sound differently from people.  Their sense of smell and touch is often above par compared to the abilities of humans.  This in fact has led them to an altered version of our shared universe.

And although they have extended abilities that may be favored by natural selection, we have emotion, and it gives the ability to feel, lose, laugh, hope, and even struggle.  The topic of how much emotional ability is actually shared by humans and animals is still at mystery.

But now you have one insight into the reasons why we should promote animal rights, but what do you believe?

-kk