[novicemonk]

I just wanted to add another hypothetical situation here that I think is helpful for this topic.

First off, a real situation....every day millions of lab rats, guinea pigs, monkeys, and a smorgasbord of other animals are used for medical/scientific research all over the world. Granted there are many of us who find this practice disgusting, but of those few who find it appalling, even fewer actually put forth any effort to stopping the practice...and we are only slightly more intelligent than, say, chimpanzees.

Now for the hypothetical. Imagine that you are from a civilization that is so much further down the evolutionary path that you've mastered intergalactic and interdimensional travel, you have cured all disease and subdued entire solar systems harnessing every available energy source...now imagine that you come across human beings with their beautiful planet which they are rapidly destroying, and their seeming inability to cooperate unless it serves their own interests. What would you think of them?

Would you be jumping up and down eager to help their plight? Would you even consider them "intelligent" beings?

Just a thought...