Sep 9, 2006 11:40:00 AM cite

Tania Bruguera:

by Tania Bruguera

Sep 9, 2006 11:40:00 AM cite

Tavis Smiley: I believe that human life is one of God’s prized creations, and I’m not sure it’s a question of whether or not one life form is more valuable than another life form. But for all of God’s life forms, for all of God’s creations of life, there is too little respect, starting with the individual. And it is tragic for me to see that there are certain human beings who do in fact treat other life forms as if they are more valuable than human life. So that we will treat our cats, our dogs, our pets, better than we treat other human beings because they happen to be of a different race, of a different gender, a different ethnicity, or a different religion. So I find it disturbing that too often we maltreat each other as human beings but somehow value other life forms more than we value each other. That’s disturbing, to say the least.

by Tavis Smiley

Sep 9, 2006 11:40:00 AM cite

Tegla Loroupe: Answertext will be available soon.

by Tegla Loroupe

Sep 9, 2006 11:40:00 AM cite

Thenmozhi Soundararajan: No, no, no. I think this is a situation where might makes right, and I think that as a species we’re really at a turning point. Are we going to live in balance with the rest of our world and with the other animals and plant life that exists in it? Are we willing to live sustainably? I think until we have a consensus that can answer that with a yes, I think we’re moving to a place where we’re going to be moving ourselves into extinction. That may be the way that the earth balances itself from one of its primary predators of this planet.

by Thenmozhi Soundararajan

Sep 9, 2006 11:40:00 AM cite

Tu Weiming: There are numerous life forms. Since there are numerous life forms they ought to be differentiated. And of course it is easy for us to understand with the human lives there’s a great deal of complexity. In practical terms people are more intimately related to those who are relatives, close friends and they're not as sensitive to the well beings of strangers, of people in distant land. This is a reality principle. We have to recognize it. As a reality principle we also know that people consider human lives as more important than animal lives and maybe the life of dogs are more valuable than the life of rats. And maybe animal right – animal lives are more important than plant lives and so forth. So in the Chinese tradition is the distinction between rudeness on the one hand and public spiritness on the other. In terms of the public spiritness, we as human beings form a unity embodied heaven and earth and a mirror things. In this sense all life forms are made of the vital energy are not only plants even the so-called animal beings are suffused with the spiritual as well as material forces. So we are interconnected. In this sense we value all forms of life. We should show a sense of reverence. On the other hand, the reality principle demands that our sense of rudeness compels us to make distinction even among human beings; those who are close to us, those who are distant. In this sense human lives also must be differentiated from other forms of life. The uniqueness of the human is [audio ends]

by Tu Weiming

Sep 9, 2006 11:40:00 AM cite

Udi Aloni: Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! Yes.

by Udi Aloni

Sep 9, 2006 11:40:00 AM cite

Valentina Melnikova: Humanity is only one of many terrestrial life forms. We can’t consider us more valuable than animal or plant world. Humans cannot save themselves on the Earth if other life forms disappear. The human being should not use his power to destroy plants or other phenomenon of the nature. The present goal of the humankind is to use his technical technological and intellectual possibilities in order to organize his life in harmony with the whole Earth. I want to remind of a great Russian scientist Vernadsky who told about the common area of the Earth and called it Noosphere. In the Noosphere everybody would hear and understand each other, and every living creature as well as not living depends on others. Vernadsky was geologist, and therefore he thought that the Earth was living creature too. I quite agree with him and believe that endeavours of humanity should be directed to create the harmony with everything that surrounds us. And then humanity would have great development prospects. Together with plants, animals, stones we will be much stronger.

by Valentina Melnikova

Sep 9, 2006 11:40:00 AM cite

Vesna Pesic: Answertext will be available soon.

by Vesna Pesic

Sep 9, 2006 11:40:00 AM cite

Viviana Figueroa: I think that actually there isn't any right to consider human beings as more valuable than other life forms, because in fact this isn't true. If there existed other life forms on earth, our existence wouldn't be neither in danger. For example the plants, the animals - I think that indigenous villages, we have attained this respectful relation for everyone of the beings who occupies this planet - plants, animals, water, montains. So our [ ]is based on so much respect to [pass a ] we have to ask the "Pacha Mama" for permission, to take water of the river. We have to ask the river for permission and thank for all what we get from nature. The same - when we [take a "churqui" or a "carnón"] to build our houses, we have to ask permission and we have to take only what we really need. That's why we can't have the right to consider us more valuable than other life forms, but it's an obligation for human beings to respect one another. All human beings have the right to [ ] - if they don't respect it, there will be a sanction [...the right not to be an encroached or discreated zone - what happens in a lot of occasions]. So in the villages, we feel very inconsolable concerning a very critical situation - for example when they afforest in our territories and when we don't respect our right of nature, they violate our identity, our culture and our rights. Maintaining all what surrounds us, we need all live beings to maintain our culture.

by Viviana Figueroa

Sep 9, 2006 11:40:00 AM cite

Wim Wenders: Yes Silke, I think so. Because we, the people, are capable of self reflection and of distinction and we can make decisions based on judgment not only on instinct and because of that we should be able to value and respect other life forms; animals, the beauty of this planet and its resources. Because we, the people, as humans are indeed more valuable and that’s why we are in a position to value the resources of this planet, its plant and animal life. Actually because we are more valuable, we are the only ones in a position to value other life forms. It’s our responsibility because we are more valuable.

by Wim Wenders

Sep 9, 2006 11:40:00 AM cite

Yungchen Lhamo: Answertext will be available soon.

by Yungchen Lhamo