Poll: Killing non-humans.

[Jacco]

So I was debating with my friend the other day about whether it "counts" if you kill a non-human species, ie aliens, Elves, Dwarves, Vampires, Werewolves, etc.

My opinion is that no, it does not matter as much as killing a human. Vampires, Werewolves, elves, etc are not humans even though they are sapient and sentient and as such, killing a human is "worse."

The three people I was arguing with all disagreed and said it was just as bad BECAUSE they are human-like in their intelligence, self awareness, and emotional range.

So, from a purely ethical standpoint, is killing non-human species just as bad as killing a fellow human given they are intelligent, sentient, etc?

Edit: To clarify, imagine we inhabit a Middle-Earth like world. Real life.

Edit 2- I am not asking if it is okay to kill them out of hand, more if it is less objectionable in a warefare sense.

Capcha: happy kazoo day

 

[SomeLameStuff]

Well, if we're running a multiple species angle, then no, not as bad as murdering members of your own species. Sure, it's bad, but I wouldn't lose as much sleep over it.

 

[Glasgow]

Is killing a fellow human being wrong? It's a video-game.

If this could somehow connect to reality I would imagine a second genetically engineered species of sapiens. In which case you can ask if killing them is as bad as killing a human, to which I would reply - 'Why kill them in the first place?'.

 

[Jacco]

Is killing a fellow human being wrong? It's a video-game.

If this could somehow connect to reality I would imagine a second genetically engineered species of sapiens. In which case you can ask if killing them is as bad as killing a human, to which I would reply - 'Why kill them in the first place?'.

War, murder, car accident, any number of reasons.

 

[Phasmal]

I think it depends.
I have no guilt killing anything in a game (human/elf/werewolf/mubcrab) if it attacks me first.
And if something is evil (like that one quest in Skyrim where this vampire talked down to me because I was a vampire hunter and would `hunt them like animals`. I wished there was a dialogue option for `You'd do all that and then eat me so shut up`) then that doesn't really count either.
And in regards to games it also doesn't count if you go mental and then reload it after filling a bathtub up with heads.
So, if it's evil, it has it coming, but if it's a sentient thing with human like intelligence that is not evil then yeah it's still as bad.

 

[Rawne1980]

Are we talking about video games or real life?

If it's video games then it's not real and anything that can be killed is fair game.

If it's real life .... well I spent 12 years in shitty warzones so my moral view on killing people is probably a lot different to a lot of the people who come here.

 

[Spade Lead]

I am assuming you are talking about War and not MURDER. Murder of sapient beings is wrong no matter what, but in a fair fight to the death, there is no better or worse, there is only the survivor.

I voted "NO" because I was assuming that inter-species conflict was involved, but if we are talking about just kill one versus kill another, the answer is yes.

 

[Dangit2019]

If the other species is sentient, than yes, it's just as bad.

Killing hobbits from LOTR would be just as painful and horrific for them as it would to humans, and they bear the intelligence and behavior of humans to a point where it would be evil.

 

[Scarim Coral]

If they are sentient then yes seeing how they can express pain and sorrow. Before you mention animal intelligent, some people have no problem with killing animals since they intelligent are lower compared to human (well some of them).

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

That depends. By "vampires" do you mean killing this guy:

Or this guy:

Cause I'll murder the first guy in his sleep. Scratch that, I'll murder them both in their sleep. But I'll feel sorri-er for one of them. Guess who?

 

[adamsaccount]

Id say if we made contact with aliens that were intelligent and non violent then wed be bastards for killing them.

But, if the aliens were highly aggressive like the xenomorphs everybody get a gun and lets put it on the television

Vampires and werewolves are usually bastards anyway

In the case of middle earth, i reckon its allright to kill orcs without remorse, since they were designed to be the servants of evil

 

[Adventurer2626]

I'd say our level of success as a species comes with some responsibilities. One of the few things I agree with Christians about is that we need to be good stewards. If not on a moral/ethical level, then for the sake of protecting our food source and stability of our environment. That being said, if it's between the well-being of a human vs. another species, I'd prefer you picked the human. Long story short: no it's not. What can I say? I'm biased.

 

[Giyguy]

The context is important. if the said being was trying to kill me I would lose less sleep over killing that being then if I killed a being unprovoked. That said, I do feel a little bad about killing ants. A little, but I do not kill ants for kicks. Anything bigger then that I would not kill unless that being actually put me in a true life or death situation.

 

[Abomination]

If the creature is sentient and capable of communication then the it would be no different between killing a particular gender, race, religion or nationality.

Of course the whole "ethics of killing" is a minefield in itself with multiple hypocrisies.

 

[Xanex]

That depends. By "vampires" do you mean killing this guy:

Or this guy:

Cause I'll murder the first guy in his sleep. Scratch that, I'll murder them both in their sleep. But I'll feel sorri-er for one of them. Guess who?

You'll be sorri-er about the first one. The second should be set on fire after you kill it. Got to be sure it don't come back.

 

[Asita]

So basically you're asking 'What Measure is a non-human'? Now, at the end of the day you could at least make a case for killing vampires and werewolves due to both tending to actively prey on people, making it arguably proactive self-defense (and the latter in particular tends to be reduced to an outright feral state), but that too is subjective to the criteria applied to them. Killing an elf...let's be honest, most of the go-to examples put them as effectively just a different race of people with pointy ears (and perhaps some superior abilities), so there's little in the way of qualitative difference between killing a human and killing an elf, ESPECIALLY if we assume their respective societies have either merged or have significant interaction with one another. Treating them as different under those circumnstances has little effective difference than any other case where you establish a race of second-class citizens and could predictably have the same results over time. The same arguments necessarily apply to sentient aliens. If there's any peaceful co-existence to be had, one cannot afford to treat others differently simply because they look different.

Here's the fun thing to think about. If you're of the belief that - with all other things being equal - it's ok to kill a sentient non-human and not ok to kill a sentient human, why do you think that? Why would it be better to kill an elf than a human? What's the qualitative difference between the two lives outside of your own personal attachment to the latter that stems from being born as that race?

 

[WanderingFool]

Depends on a number of factors. Werewolves and Vampires I would say is okay, so long as they are activly trying to kill you or others for sport or pleasure. For Elves and Dwarves, I would say they are no different from humans, and thus killing them for simply being Elves or Dwarves is wrong.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Doesn't matter if they aren't human, if they are sentient creatures, they should be judged accordingly.

Now, if the vampire/whatever has proved to be evil, fine...if vampires in general have proved to be evil and bloodthirsty, but this particular one hasn't yet, then we have a dilemma.

 

[Doclector]

Would depend entirely whether they actually wish to harm you.

In virtually every version, elves and dwarves have no "default" morality, so they'd always be as bad as humans to kill.

Werewolves and vampires have far more range in different versions across fiction. Vampires may kill through any and all bites in some fiction, and in others only require a small amount of blood every now and again that can be taken with little to no harm to the person giving it. Same story with werewolves, some fiction says they completely lose control and turn into raging beasts, and in some fiction the they merely change physically, with the personality of the person no doubt traumatised by, well, turning into a freakin' wolf beast, but otherwise intact.

Basically though, the rules of engagement would be roughly the same as any human. To quote metro 2033 out of context; "If it's hostile, you kill it", which would obviously leave the assumed other statement; If it isn't hostile, let it be.