does self awareness make us different from wild animals?

Whenever someone uses the " what if some alien species started hunting humans because there smarter" argument in favor of not hunting wild life, I always ended up confused. Animals arent self aware like the way humans are, and obviously these aliens are self aware as well. Does this make this morally wrong for the alien to be hunting humans? Or would this be like hunting deer for us?

" what if some alien species started hunting humans because they're* smarter"

Fixed... my work here is done.

Does this make this morally wrong for the alien to be hunting humans? Or would this be like hunting deer for us?

Depends on who you're asking, morality is relative. It would not be immoral for the aliens whom would be surviving off of the human race, I would assume the humans dying would think it's immoral.

I never thought it was right to hunt things just because you could but if it happens it happens

I'm not quite sure what you mean by self-aware. Monkeys, otters, and other animals all seem pretty self-aware of what they are. What sets humans apart is that we're arguably (some people make me question the race as a whole,) the smartest species on the planet. Our use of tools is much more refined than that of the animals I mentioned, (who arguably trump a decent amount of the rest of the animal kingdom with their own intelligence,) and our form of communication allows us to perform feats that animals simply couldn't because of our average capacity to retain knowledge.

It's like, I could, in theory, teach a child to use a bow and arrow. I could probably teach a monkey to do it, but it's going to take a little more effort. I wouldn't even begin to know where to start trying to teach an otter to use a bow and arrow

I like you......

@scouterv: I think he is asking two different questions or just asking if our intelligence justifies the scenario in the OP.

You shouldn't hunt just to make the animals into trophy's. You should hunt for food.

You shouldn't hunt at all. There's plenty of other types of food on this planet, so why kill living things?

It's how nature works. We're omnivores. Which means that we are supposed to eat mean. Along with other things.

It doesn't make sense for a person to hunt and kill a living thing when there is other food available. Both serve the same purpose.

Are you a vegetarian?

No.

Are you a vegan?

Nope.

@the_caped_crusader: Then why are you even talking?

@thenaughtytitan: So what, I can't sympathize the death of animals? What's your point?

You shouldn't hunt at all.

^^you can't say things like this but eat meat XD! You're a hypocrite for eating meat but telling people they can't hunt even though you eat what they hunt.

You can sympathize but you can't say other people can't hunt if you eat meat yourself...

Are you talking about people should not kill animals and eat meat or are you saying we should only eat livestock? You do realize that you're a fool if you think hunting is worse than the way we treat livestock.

@supercrusader: I think you've missed my point. I'm saying you shouldn't harm or kill other life for food when food such as fruits and vegetables are available and serve the same purpose, which is satisfying your hunger.

@thenaughtytitan: Read post above.

Then you're a hypocrite because you eat meat. You can't advertise not eating meat and imply people are wrong for eating it when you eat it yourself.

I think animals are pretty self-aware.

Even plants are omnivores. They take nutrients from anything they can.

Sympathizing with animals won't stop me from killing them for food. I have a greater allegiance to the human race than to them. At least when I eat to the animals body to sustain myself and maintain my strength, I'll be trying to do some good in the world in some way.

That is not what I've been saying.

God, how many times am I going to say this?

Hunting for the sake of hunting is wrong IMO.

"You shouldn't hunt at all. There's plenty of other types of food on this planet, so why kill living things?"

Are you joking? Go read your posts. You eat meat, you can't say other people should not hunt and eat meat when you eat it yourself.

Valid point.

If you don't have other options, you can eat whatever you want, no judgement. But I never see eating any animal as moral, when you can survive without doing so.

Yeah No

No, lots of animals are self-aware.

This is exactly what I mean.

yes

@thenaughtytitan: Good man

Eh, maybe not hunt them for trophies, but you can eat them.

Idc.. I eat what taste good XD.

Who cares about animals? Dogs are the only animal that is good. All other animals deserve to be cooked and eaten.

@superadam: Guess you deserve to be eaten also. I don't fatty meat myself though...

If people think like that, we won't have the rights to defend outselfs when aliens make us cattle.