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| Topic: WHY DO WE FEEL THE NEED TO HELP EACH OTHER? | |
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Unlike animals, we have compassion  That's a joke, right?   |
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WHY DO WE FEEL THE NEED TO HELP EACH OTHER? Because contrary to what the Bible claims, we're actually nice.  WHY DON'T WE [LIKE THE ANIMALS] JUST LET WHATEVER HAPPENS TO OTHERS JUST HAPPEN AND ACCEPT IT AS A NORMAL THING?? I've personally seen animals exhibit campassion and caring. They probably don't go into it in depth simply because of their mental limitations to dwell on things in great detail. But I have definitely seen animals exhibit concern over the anguish of another animals, and over the anguish of humans. I've seen large dogs protect smaller dogs. I've seen pet dogs protecting pet cats, and children from external threats. I've seem them appear to show concern when others are hurt. You'll never convince me that they have no clue what they are doing. I've also watched wildlife shows where mother animals appear to be very concerned about the wellbeing of their babies. In fact, Just the other day I was driving down the road and a large flock of turkeys started to cross the road in front of me. I stopped and watch. The adult turkeys appeared to be to be very concerned about getting all their little babies across the road. They stood around like school gaurds and waited for the younger birds to cross. Clearly there's some sense of 'society' going on there. They aren't just out for every bird for itself. That's just a gross misconception of what's going on. They may not have the cerebral depth to logically take it to the extremes that humans do. But I think they clearly have some level of compassion. We aren't as different from animals as we'd like to believe. i agree majyk man, try reading the rest of my post before replying, i've already stated such!!!  but on the other hand, there are also many that eat thier young or kill there young for whatever reasons also. many fish exibit this as do mammals, they are scavengers and cannabilistic in nature. but what i'm asking is why are we caring why do we feel the need to help? what moses us to do so? its not religion as you and others say, it's beyond that from what i can sense.and its in all of us to varying degrees - yet in some its seems almost absent? why is that? It's the circle of life... sorry, Lion King is coming to town! But true no less. I think the need to help is in all of, it's just some develop it better than others.
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a developemental behavior - hmmm?
a "variable" developemental behavior? |
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but what i'm asking is why are we caring why do we feel the need to help? what moses us to do so? its not religion as you and others say, it's beyond that from what i can sense.and its in all of us to varying degrees - yet in some its seems almost absent? why is that? I have no clue Sam. I'm in total agreement with you. Religion has nothing to do with it. Some of the most compassionate people I've met have been atheists. My sister is extremely compassionate. She cries just hearing that some completely stranger was hurt. She's a complete atheist. So having compassion has nothing to do with religion or a belief in god. And clearly there are people who are less compassionate, indifferent, and those are are actually quite sadistic, cruel and heartless. So it's not a trait that all humans share. I do believe though, that the vast majority of people are compassionate. Everyone always says how bad things are. But I just don't see it. The overwhelming vast majority of people are nice. It just looks bad becasue the news is constantly reporting the nasty crap that far less than 10% of the actual population of planet Earth causes. About 90% of the people you meet will tend to be nice. I mean, let's face it. If one in ever 10 people you meet is nasty, you're going to notice and remember those nasty ones, and completely forget about the passive 90% of people who just passed you by and smiled. Yet, it's truly a very small percentage. In fact, going by crime statistics, it's truly less than 1% of people who actually commit 'violent' crimes. That means that one in every 100 people you meet might be a truly violent person. If you meet a thousand people you're bound to run into at least 10 truly violent criminals. And that's only 1% of the world's population. Clearly the vast majority of people on Earth are nice compassionate people. The world is not nearly as violent as people make it out to be. If it was you wouldn't be able to go out shopping and feel safe. Of course, if you live in a high-crime district you might not be able to do that anyway. But I'm speaking in global terms. Truly 99% of the world's population is non-violent in serious ways. That's a pretty darn good number I think.  What are people expecting? Perfection? |
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but what i'm asking is why are we caring why do we feel the need to help? what moses us to do so? its not religion as you and others say, it's beyond that from what i can sense.and its in all of us to varying degrees - yet in some its seems almost absent? why is that? I have no clue Sam. I'm in total agreement with you. Religion has nothing to do with it. Some of the most compassionate people I've met have been atheists. My sister is extremely compassionate. She cries just hearing that some completely stranger was hurt. She's a complete atheist. So having compassion has nothing to do with religion or a belief in god. And clearly there are people who are less compassionate, indifferent, and those are are actually quite sadistic, cruel and heartless. So it's not a trait that all humans share. I do believe though, that the vast majority of people are compassionate. Everyone always says how bad things are. But I just don't see it. The overwhelming vast majority of people are nice. It just looks bad becasue the news is constantly reporting the nasty crap that far less than 10% of the actual population of planet Earth causes. About 90% of the people you meet will tend to be nice. I mean, let's face it. If one in ever 10 people you meet is nasty, you're going to notice and remember those nasty ones, and completely forget about the passive 90% of people who just passed you by and smiled. Yet, it's truly a very small percentage. In fact, going by crime statistics, it's truly less than 1% of people who actually commit 'violent' crimes. That means that one in every 100 people you meet might be a truly violent person. If you meet a thousand people you're bound to run into at least 10 truly violent criminals. And that's only 1% of the world's population. Clearly the vast majority of people on Earth are nice compassionate people. The world is not nearly as violent as people make it out to be. If it was you wouldn't be able to go out shopping and feel safe. Of course, if you live in a high-crime district you might not be able to do that anyway. But I'm speaking in global terms. Truly 99% of the world's population is non-violent in serious ways. That's a pretty darn good number I think. What are people expecting? Perfection? the only thing thats purrrrrrfect are cats!! even when they do something you deem wrong its purrrrrrfectly wrong - 
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oh I beg to differ! My cat is crazy and attacks me for no reason! Just because she has 'tude!
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Edited by
tribo
on
Sun 11/23/08 04:31 PM
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oh I beg to differ! My cat is crazy and attacks me for no reason! Just because she has 'tude! beg all you want my lady, pleaseeeee  but you have to admit there still ""purrrrrfect attacks"" -
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Compassion is an emotion that other creatures have aswell, All the Great Apes possess a high range of emotion that includes caring and compassion. Ive even seen that captive specimens of Lowland Gorillas and Bonobos/Chimpanzees keep "Pets" ie dogs/cats and birds! Ive seen female and male Gorillas try to nurse injured others, both physically and emotionally.
Compassion is a Primate trait Oh, All the Great Apes have Sex for pleasure not just for reproduction, Take a look at Bonobo society, thats a prime example. A few species of Dolphins have been known to do it 2 hehe, crazy choice of words |
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Edited by
SkyHook5652
on
Sun 11/23/08 05:07 PM
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wHAT IS THIS MORAL OBLIGATION TO HELP THOSE IN NEED? WHY DON'T WE [LIKE THE ANIMALS] JUST LET WHATEVER HAPPENS TO OTHERS JUST HAPPEN AND ACCEPT IT AS A NORMAL THING?? I don't equate "moral obligation" with "desire to help". Moral obligation is a result of having agreed to follow a set of rules. Morals are simply rules or laws. The “agreement to follow” is the obligation part. On the other hand, “desire to help” is a result of ethics, which is distinctly different from morals. Ethics are the personal choices we make to contribute to (or detract from) the welfare and/or happiness of ourselves and others. So one could help others because of an agreement that that is the thing one should do. Or one could help others because one thinks that helping them would increase one’s own welfare and/or happiness – or at least mitigate a decrease. answer.  So I assume you mean this: but what i'm asking is why are we caring why do we feel the need to help? what moses us to do so? its not religion as you and others say, it's beyond that from what i can sense.and its in all of us to varying degrees - yet in some its seems almost absent? why is that? Well I still have to differentiate. There are self-determined reasons based on analytical evaluations and there are stimulus-response reactions that do not include any reasoned thought at all. So I assume you’re talking about some stimulus-response reactions since the analytical reasons would necessarily be different for each individual and situation. I believe that seeing a person in need of help stimulates mechanisms in the mind. Those mechanisms then react to create and build up emotion and sensation in the body. The person then acts to either alleviate the emotion/sensation if it is unpleasant, or to enhance it if it is pleasant. This process could be called either “instinct” or “compulsion”, depending on whether you’re talking about animals or humans. Whether it manifests as a "desire to help" or a "fear of danger" or a "revulsion for blood" would be determined by the emotion/sensation generated by the stinulus-response mechanism in each person's mind, which in turn would determine how they would act in the specific situation. But in any case, it is a purely stimulus-response reaction without thought of any kind (however the person may attempt to justify their actions). And it is completely different from a reasoned, analytical evaluation that arrives at an ethical or moral choice. |
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wHAT IS THIS MORAL OBLIGATION TO HELP THOSE IN NEED? WHY DON'T WE [LIKE THE ANIMALS] JUST LET WHATEVER HAPPENS TO OTHERS JUST HAPPEN AND ACCEPT IT AS A NORMAL THING?? I don't equate "moral obligation" with "desire to help". Moral obligation is a result of having agreed to follow a set of rules. Morals are simply rules or laws. The “agreement to follow” is the obligation part. On the other hand, “desire to help” is a result of ethics, which is distinctly different from morals. Ethics are the personal choices we make to contribute to (or detract from) the welfare and/or happiness of ourselves and others. So one could help others because of an agreement that that is the thing one should do. Or one could help others because one thinks that helping them would increase one’s own welfare and/or happiness – or at least mitigate a decrease. answer. So I assume you mean this: but what i'm asking is why are we caring why do we feel the need to help? what moses us to do so? its not religion as you and others say, it's beyond that from what i can sense.and its in all of us to varying degrees - yet in some its seems almost absent? why is that? Well I still have to differentiate. There are self-determined reasons based on analytical evaluations and there are stimulus-response reactions that do not include any reasoned thought at all. So I assume you’re talking about some stimulus-response reactions since the analytical reasons would necessarily be different for each individual and situation. I believe that seeing a person in need of help stimulates mechanisms in the mind. Those mechanisms then react to create and build up emotion and sensation in the body. The person then acts to either alleviate the emotion/sensation if it is unpleasant, or to enhance it if it is pleasant. This process could be called either “instinct” or “compulsion”, depending on whether you’re talking about animals or humans. Whether it manifests as a "desire to help" or a "fear of danger" or a "revulsion for blood" would be determined by the emotion/sensation generated by the stinulus-response mechanism in each person's mind, which in turn would determine how they would act in the specific situation. But in any case, it is a purely stimulus-response reaction without thought of any kind (however the person may attempt to justify their actions). And it is completely different from a reasoned, analytical evaluation that arrives at an ethical or moral choice.  thnx for that Sky.
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Edited by
tanyaann
on
Sun 11/23/08 05:37 PM
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oh I beg to differ! My cat is crazy and attacks me for no reason! Just because she has 'tude! beg all you want my lady, pleaseeeee but you have to admit there still ""purrrrrfect attacks"" - nah! only half @ss attacks! LOL she runs up, half @ss claws my half and jumps down.... walks away looking behind her at me with a disgusted look! LOl Well she's my cat... I guess I shouldn't expect any other attitude than that! LOL  Oh and begging? should this be taken off the thread and into email?
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oh I beg to differ! My cat is crazy and attacks me for no reason! Just because she has 'tude! beg all you want my lady, pleaseeeee but you have to admit there still ""purrrrrfect attacks"" - nah! only half @ss attacks! LOL she runs up, half @ss claws my half and jumps down.... walks away looking behind her at me with a disgusted look! LOl Well she's my cat... I guess I shouldn't expect any other attitude than that! LOL Oh and begging? should this be taken off the thread and into email? AHH - BUT STILL PURRRRFECT HALF @SSED ATTACKS -  Does she make a mistake when she does this?? does she meow ooopppppsss?? |
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oh I beg to differ! My cat is crazy and attacks me for no reason! Just because she has 'tude! beg all you want my lady, pleaseeeee but you have to admit there still ""purrrrrfect attacks"" - nah! only half @ss attacks! LOL she runs up, half @ss claws my half and jumps down.... walks away looking behind her at me with a disgusted look! LOl Well she's my cat... I guess I shouldn't expect any other attitude than that! LOL Oh and begging? should this be taken off the thread and into email? AHH - BUT STILL PURRRRFECT HALF @SSED ATTACKS - Does she make a mistake when she does this?? does she meow ooopppppsss??
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Edited by
splendidlife
on
Mon 11/24/08 09:21 AM
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wHAT IS THIS MORAL OBLIGATION TO HELP THOSE IN NEED? WHY DON'T WE [LIKE THE ANIMALS] JUST LET WHATEVER HAPPENS TO OTHERS JUST HAPPEN AND ACCEPT IT AS A NORMAL THING?? This defined "Moral Obligation" is a term that mankind has assigned to the phenomenon of an intrinsic desire to "help" those in need. "Ethics" being the personal choices we make to contribute to (or detract from) the welfare and/or happiness of others and ourselves is another term to describe something already intrinsic. Just because our advanced brains have allowed us to assign these names and subsequent definitions, doesn't mean we have the "WHY" of it. What if there was a Universal "Why"? In other words, what if a clearly defined energy (some call it God) that connects each of us to one another drives us "instinctually" to help for the greatest good of the whole? What if, in those instances when we don't help, it still is of the greatest good of all? Neanderthals were pack "animals". They needed each other to be "successful". Through the ages, Humans have demonstrated pack mentality on MANY levels. What our "uniquely" Human "conscious" thought has been doing is adding layer upon layer of assigned meanings to everything before us, further creating illusion that we are somehow far beyond or "above" letting whatever happens... happen. We actually believe that our conscious thought is dictating, when in fact it merely is running the numbers, so to speak. Higher Self or God determines how much or how little. Many Humans (even the highly religious) think deep down that we possess the power to determine our destiny. By Gum! I'm beginning to see that we don't! 
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wHAT IS THIS MORAL OBLIGATION TO HELP THOSE IN NEED? WHY DON'T WE [LIKE THE ANIMALS] JUST LET WHATEVER HAPPENS TO OTHERS JUST HAPPEN AND ACCEPT IT AS A NORMAL THING?? Leviticus 19:18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Old Testament John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have love you. ^^^^^^^^^^^ New Testament One compliments the other, New and Old testaments. John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that yea also love one another. 35; By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. |
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Because SOME of us have actually got the greatest gift of all, LOVE. Not everyone has the desire to help. Many people actually appear to want to help others, but the real reason they do anything for others, is in hopes of obtaining something in return. Real "agape love" gives us the urge to help those around us without the expectation of reciprocation. It is a gift from the almighty to have this kind of love in your heart. The sad thing about it is, those who practice agape love, often get taken advantage of.
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Edited by
splendidlife
on
Mon 11/24/08 10:13 AM
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wHAT IS THIS MORAL OBLIGATION TO HELP THOSE IN NEED? WHY DON'T WE [LIKE THE ANIMALS] JUST LET WHATEVER HAPPENS TO OTHERS JUST HAPPEN AND ACCEPT IT AS A NORMAL THING?? Leviticus 19:18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Old Testament John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have love you. ^^^^^^^^^^^ New Testament One compliments the other, New and Old testaments. John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that yea also love one another. 35; By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. What if the key to a greater "conscious connection" to Higher Self or God is to be more interested in the well being of those around us (our neighbors) rather than our own self-preservation? This "idea" would be in agreement with Biblical text. But, what if it had just as much of a mind function explanation as "religious" meaning? Of course, this points to humans possessing specialized cognitive ability to make a choice to take this path, much unlike actual pack animals.
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wHAT IS THIS MORAL OBLIGATION TO HELP THOSE IN NEED? WHY DON'T WE [LIKE THE ANIMALS] JUST LET WHATEVER HAPPENS TO OTHERS JUST HAPPEN AND ACCEPT IT AS A NORMAL THING?? Leviticus 19:18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Old Testament John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have love you. ^^^^^^^^^^^ New Testament One compliments the other, New and Old testaments. John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that yea also love one another. 35; By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. What if the key to a greater "conscious connection" to Higher Self or God is to be more interested in the well being of those around us (our neighbours) rather than our own self-preservation? This "idea" would be in agreement with Biblical text. But, what if it had just as much of a mind function explaination as "religious" meaning? Of course, this points to humans possessing specialized cognative ability to make a choice to take this path, much unlike actual pack animals. cheers for the nice, kind and good folks prayer and blessings or Best wishes and high hopes as the shoe fits. |
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wy, that was splendid, Splendidlife. I wish I could reference the appropiate scriptures when I want to. Unfortunatly I have a condition going on that keeps me from being able to remember like I used to. Love ya
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wy, that was splendid, Splendidlife. I wish I could reference the appropiate scriptures when I want to. Unfortunatly I have a condition going on that keeps me from being able to remember like I used to. Love ya 
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