I received a great email response to my recent New Scientist column on alien phenomenology. I thought I’d share a part of it anonymously just because it felt so shareworthy.

Rocks are rocks. They are rocks in relation to humans, and they are rocks in relation to birds and they are rocks in relation to anything else that turns up such as wind and sea etc, and they are rocks in relation to rocks. They have their own existence. As does the watch on my wrist and the keyboard I type on.

Humans have created “rights” as an extension of the things they want for themselves, e.g. their right to freedom is described as a Human Right. Now humans are starting to think that animals should also share in some of these rights e.g. animals have a right to not be mistreated. They have Animal Rights.

It feels to me like you are pointing out that there are a lot of other things that exist also, apart from humans and animals, e.g. a dustbin, a notepad, a pen. and it isn’t necessarily about figuring out what their rights are, its about recognising that they have an existence. I am really excited about this because it feels like a step in the right direction. it feels like the future we haven’t quite arrived at yet.

Then what? That’s an interesting question.

published May 7, 2012