Human/Nonhuman Animal

The difference between human beings and nonhuman animals is the fact that humans have morals. For example in the general introduction of “The Animal Ethics Reader,” Descartes says that animals lack "reason and a capacity for moral responsibility". I find that this is true in many cases especially in the American justice system. Unlike animals humans have a moral responsibility and when they fail to uphold the morals of the state punishment usually follows. For example, if a person kills another person or participates in the slaughter of animals through immoral means such as dog fighting that person is tried in court and if guilty will be punished. This same process does not happen to an animal who kills another animal or a human being there is no court preceding. The worst that I have seen happen is a pit-bull being put down because of a violent attack. This shows that animals do not act out of reasoning but they act out of instinct. I do not believe that the animal thinks about the consequences of their actions or even learn from their experiences as humans do. Humans have the ability to go through experiences and find a lesson to be learned. And thats why Humans are able to reason and set up standards to keep things in order and to better the Human race as a whole.