Jeremy Rifkin A Change Of Heart About Animals Analysis

Many species of wildlife continue to be mistreated and neglected even when they show many signs of being intelligent creatures. In the article, “A Change in Heart About Animals” author, Jeremy Rifkin discusses many instances where animals prove smarter than people give them credit for. One of many discoveries evaluated by Rifkin where crows, that were able to manipulate a wire in order to retrieve food. The crow was able to adapt to the situation using its critical thinking skills, similar to humans. Since these crows showed immense skill and have characteristics similar to people they should, like people, be protected and not experimented on. Another humanlike quality shown in an animal, explained by Rifkin, is the ability to communicate with human beings. Koko the gorilla was taught

I honestly think that Jeremy Rifkin had some very significant findings when he published “A Change of Heart about Animals”. If it wasn't for Rifkin many people like myself would have not known that animals share some of the same traits as humans like grief, self awareness, and the need for affection. Everyone needs to know that animals aren't some type of toy but rather a living creature with feelings. Rifkin wants his readers to believe that humans and animals are much alike and want some of the same rights for them but is that a good idea…

In the article “A Change of Heart About Animals”, Rifkin asserts that humans are treating animals in the most atrocious way, and he claims that in order for their lives to improve, we need to definitely adjust ours. He uses great amount of logos, and several experiments done with different animals and tries his best to closely relate animals to us, humans. Rifkin although, never inserts a call for action to this problem throughout his article. Instead, he puts the emphasis on the pathos of the argument. In the world we are living in today, there is about 8.7 million different living species. Whether they are land or marine animals, they do play a big role in our community such as being apart of the food pyramid, assisting handicapped people wherever they go, or being a transportation for people living on farms and fields. With this being said, the ranking of animals in our community has brought up a heated argument in connection to their rights and welfare. Eight legged, four legged, or two legged land or sea animals do not comprehend the concept of rights. If we, humans, give animals “rights”, we are basically inferring the fact that we are like animals, and they have the entitlement to share our rights. Although they don’t understand rights, the fact that many of these animals are being treated inhumanely is wrong and animal welfare should be ingrained into this community rather than the massive inhumane treatment.

In the article “A Change Of Heart About Animals” written by Jeremy Rifkin, he argues that science has shown the similarities between us humans and animals and about how we should show more “empathy” towards them. Along with that animal activist such as the “Animal Legal Defence Fund” is pushing to give animals a Bill Of Rights, but i truthfully disagree. I personally believe animals should have rights but to a certain extent.

In the article titled “A Change of Heart about Animals”, by Jeremy Rifkin, it talks about how us humans need to have a different perspective on how animals are treated and have more empathy for them. I however, disagree with Rifkin. It is essential to recognize that in nature, animals kill each other for food and have no sympathy for whatever it is that they are eating.With this said, why should killing,eating,and animal experimentation be any different or inhumane?

Rifkin states that “The current studies open up a new phase, allowing us to expand and deepen our empathy to included the border community with whom we share the earth with”. As evidence there are so many new studies about animals and how they all feel and think so now that we all know that they do, why keep keep hurting them? Just because a fish can’t tell you they are feeling the pain people are causing them or show emotion , doesn’t make it okay to do it. Animals do think, I wonder what they think of us. In an article telegraph discusses a topic about four teens that stole a dog from his home and tortured it for hours in one of the most worst cases an RSPCA inspector had ever seen."These youths admitted feeding him drugs, kicking and punching him, and wringing and breaking his neck before dumping him”. The four teens were given 12 months probation and are not allowed to have any pets for 5 years and were given a fee. That was all that was given to the teens after they did cruel stuff to that poor dog. Animals should have animal rights because cases like these are not acceptable or right.

Jeremy Rifkin had made such impact on readers through his article “A Change of Heart about Animals”. Not only did he inform us the reality that animals do have feelings, he also unbounded the label we had long given to the animals, thus fully altered our perspectives about these fellow creatures. In regard to the influence, I myself am not excluded. As a matter of fact, since I was a kid, I have started raising pets. As long as it seems, I have built myself an assumption about these domestic animals as they don’t differ much from humans’ natural behavior in life. They have feelings, family and awareness of surroundings.

One argues that animals aren’t like humans but how can they prove that? People who disagree with Rifkin haven’t brought up any valid points, sources, or experiments to prove Rifkin wrong. Unlike the people who believe that animals aren’t like humans, Rifkin performs several experiments to prove how animals show humanity. I agree that animals are similar with humans because they’ve proven their sense of awareness in situations. In “A Change of Heart about Animals”, there was a study on pig behavior where Purdue University found that pigs crave affection

Based on Jeremy Rifkin’s article “A Change of Heart about Animals” I totally agree with what he has to say. As humans we are born with empathy. As we grow older we learn how to develop more empathy. One of our journeys while on this planet is to appeal to humans empathy. We learn how to have more empathy to those who we care about the most.

As a student of Buena Park High School, I am concerned about how this article will impact other students and teenagers in general (¨A Change of Heart about Animals¨, September 1, 2003) The article states that people who own animals have to treat them better, because they are like humans and they have emotions too. In your article, you put out there all kind of studies proving that animals do express sentiments, but one particular study about pigs' behavior was inaccurate. When I read the actual research there was nothing that said that ¨they crave affection and are easily depressed if isolated or denied playtime¨. Although I do believe that the animals do not have to be treated in an inhumane way. This makes me doubt about the credibility of

In “The Case for Animal Rights,” Regan states that instead of viewing animals as existing solely for human disposal, or as having value only because they retain the same feelings of pain and satisfaction humans do, we should consider animals as

Thank you Jeremey Rifkin for strongly supporting the animal rights cause, Rifkin proves that animals indeed act much like humans and deserve to be treated more humanly. By providing proven scientific facts, Rifkin was able to take one into the mind and inner emotions of an animal. For example, as he was talking about elephants mourning for their loss, one was really able to connect to such negative feelings even if not having experienced a tremendous loss in life.

I am in total agreement with your statement on animals having feelings. They should also receive the same level of respect as humans. In addition, some of your points are dear to me mainly referring to how animals display affection. Regan (1985) states, "someone might say that your dog doesn't feel anything and so isn't hurt by your neighbour's kick, doesn't care about the pain since none is felt, is as unaware of anything" (p. 2). This statement would be untrue in my eyes because dogs or animals can feel pain on so many levels.

If animals can possess the same qualities as humans, shouldn’t we take into consideration their emotions in order to treat them more humanely? Humans often underestimate the emotions, intelligence, and behaviors of animals and I believe it is our responsibility to respect and treat them as we morally as possible, that is without detracting the needs from our own society.

Animal sympathy is the ability of animals to form connections and feel the emotions of other organisms and to sympathize with their owners and their animal counterparts. Animal sympathy is rarely considered or just investigated among a limited number of species, such as whales. Typically, the human aspect in the relationship between man and animal is considered specifically by the written media, such as magazines and journals, as it is more likely easier to understand and relate to by the targeted audience. However, despite not getting enough scientific or media coverage, understanding the emotional viewpoint and feelings of animals, especially those which are related to and are an integral part of human existence and society, can help foster a better understanding in every human being, regardless of whether or not they come into contact or interact with animals.