Posted by so on May 19, 2005, at 2:18:04
In reply to Re: Did a Texan do anything to you? » AuntieMel, posted by alexandra_k on May 19, 2005, at 0:20:54
> > I guess part of this question depends on how you defind "nature."
> > I believe that it *is* natural for humans to eat meat, and this is proven to me by the structure of our teeth.
>
> That looks a lot similar to this:
> I believe that is is natural for males to use physical force to control (rape) females as this is proven to me by the fact that males (tend to be) bigger than females.
>What is "natural" as offered in this context is entirely a personal construct. Scientifically, all organic processes are natural. Colloquially, however, "natural" sometimes refers to things that are not anthropocentric. A more informative -- and perhaps democratic -- construct involves appreciaton of what is culturally acceptable.
Eating meat is considered normal becuase it has been culturally accepted by a majority of the human race for tens of thousands, or rather hundreds of thousands of years, as is shown by archeological evidence and by anthropoligical study.
Rape is generally considered abhorent by most cultures, even though some individuals and some micro-cultures advocate sexual predation.
poster:so
thread:498173
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/poli/20050509/msgs/499718.html