Between Dominion and Compassion: Rethinking Our Relationship with Animals

Human attitudes toward animals have always been a complex and multifaceted phenomenon in which ancient religious precepts intersect with modern moral ideas. On one hand, traditional interpretations of sacred texts assign humans authority over animals, perceiving them as instruments to fulfill human needs. This idea predetermines a perspective in which animals become subordinate, merely a means to an end, leading to their rational exploitation and even cruel treatment. On the other hand, many contemporary thinkers suggest that the inability to show compassion is often linked to deep-seated characteristics of a person’s inner world—namely, their spiritual immaturity and lack of emotional responsiveness. Despite the obvious superficial similarities between humans and animals, differences in the capacity to feel, understand, and perceive the world create a divide that helps explain why mercy can sometimes be elusive. Ultimately, the clash between centuries-old traditions and the demands of moral self-awareness today compels us to reconsider our treatment of animals and explore more harmonious and ethical ways of coexisting.

Why do people not show compassion toward animals and often resort to killing them, despite their similarities to humans? An answer can be sought in several aspects presented in the cited materials. On one hand, the traditional understanding based on religious texts bestows upon man the authority over animals—a mandate perceived as permission to use them for personal ends. For instance, one source states:

“God gave man ‘dominion over the fish in the sea, and over the birds in the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’ God, it appears, was the first to kill the animals, whose skins he used to cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:21). God’s blessing of Noah after the flood confirmed that ‘every moving thing that lives shall be food for you’ (…)”
(source: 1075_5373.txt)

This viewpoint frames animals as means designed to satisfy human needs, potentially obliterating any sense of pity, since they are seen not as equals but as objects for utilitarian use.

On the other hand, there is an opinion that the lack of compassion for animals is connected to a person’s inner spiritual position. In one reflection, it is noted that some people display a lack of emotional and moral maturity, which leads to cruel behavior towards living beings:

“The behavior of schoolyard killers often demonstrates a lack of compassion and a sense of pain towards animals. They feel no regret that a soul is ruined… You cannot simply educate with words, just by telling, explaining, or proving something—it is impossible. First, a miracle of God must occur…”
(source: 9_44.txt)

It is further emphasized that even though there is a deep similarity between humans and animals, a significant difference in their inner, subjective nature exists. As one author puts it:

“...Each of us cannot help but see in an animal a resemblance to oneself, and yet cannot clearly grasp the vast difference—a chasm—between us and animals…”
(source: 1287_6434.txt)

This philosophical stance suggests that although we notice superficial similarities, internal differences in the ability to understand, feel, and be aware cause animals to be perceived differently, which partially explains the lack of compassion and the tendency to exploit or kill them.

Thus, the combination of historically entrenched religious doctrines that emphasize human dominance over animals and the contrasting views on the fundamental differences in the inner nature of humans and animals contributes to the phenomenon where many people fail to show compassion toward animals and often resort to their killing.

Supporting citation(s):
“God gave man ‘dominion over the fish in the sea, and over the birds in the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth’ …” (source: 1075_5373.txt)

“The behavior of schoolyard killers often demonstrates a lack of compassion and a sense of pain towards animals…” (source: 9_44.txt)

“...Each of us cannot help but see in an animal a resemblance to oneself, and yet cannot clearly grasp the vast difference…” (source: 1287_6434.txt)