All the arguments to prove man's superiority cannot shatter this hard fact: in suffering, the animals are our equals.
Peter SingerThe idea that we can actually have an impact on places more or less instantly, too, by responding in some way or not responding, I think, also makes it true.
Peter SingerDolphins are social mammals, capable of enjoying their lives. They form close bonds with other members of their group.
Peter SingerWe are not especially 'interested in' animals. Neither of us had ever been inordinately fond of dogs, cats, or horses in the way that many people are. We didn't 'love' animals.
Peter SingerThere is an obvious evolutionary explanation for the scarcity of altruistic saints: Without a strong predilection for their own interests, our ancestors would have been unlikely to survive, reproduce, and give their own offspring a chance of doing the same. Now conditions have changed and for most of us, surviving and reproducing isn't such a struggle but we still carry the genes of our ancestors and they influence - not determine, but influence - our behavior.
Peter SingerAfter 9/11, the American Red Cross received more than half a billion dollars in donations to help the victims of the terrorist attacks. The families of the victims were already well-provided for by various government funds, so Red Cross simply drew a line across lower Manhattan and offered everyone there financial assistance, whether they needed it or not.
Peter Singer