> Maybe you are familiar with natural rights theory, which claims that
> humans have certain rights following from nature/their nature and/or
> bestowed by god (if you choose the religious angle).
>
> But does it apply to animals as well?
>
> If humans are a form of animal, is it unreasonable to consider that
> other animals have the rights we ascribe to ourselves, as well?
>
> Suppose you subscribe to the idea that it takes a certain level of
> consciousness to achieve status of having natural rights. It might then
> be argued that it's perfectly Ok for a human to kill and butcher a cow,
> because, well, it's a dumb animal that stands on a field, eats grass,
> goes "moo", and thats roughly it.
>
> In the same line of reasoning, would there be anything wrong for a far
> advanced alien civilization to pop by Earth and decide that they could
> have some benefit from harvesting humans (for meat or whatever), if they
> were evolved or capable of mental feats far beyong that of one human? ...