Philosophy: What is the measure of a dog?

[Ani_Ibi]

 

[Jennifer_G]

Long?

http://www.healthgene.com/canine/images/dachshund_standard_long_haired.jpg

 

[Ani_Ibi]

Jennifer G:

Long?

Very sweet dog. OK, obviously the OP was a little too open-ended for many. Let’s tighten it up a bit.

Protagoras said that man is the measure of all things. What ever did he mean by that, do you suppose?

Of all things the measure is man, of the things that are, that [or “how”] they are, and of things that are not, that [or “how”] they are not.

Well, this is neither here nor there. If a man is the measure of all things, then what is the measure of a man? Of far more import, what is the measure of his dog?

 

[Jennifer_G]

That was supposed to be a pun. (I am reminded why I never liked philosophy class. )

 

[Truthstalker]

And now for something completely different…

My dogs measure proximity, as in which is getting more attention, petting, food, walks. I would say attention is the measure of a dog, as it is within a dog’s scope.

My dogs measure whether they know someone: friend or foe.

Man may be the measure of all things, but a dog measures man.

What dogs do with all the attention to smells, however, is an enigma. Nothing like a good smell, they think, the worse the better.

 

[Zooey]

Well, this is neither here nor there. If a man is the measure of all things, then what is the measure of a man? Of far more import, what is the measure of his dog?

Considerably, indeed immeasurably less than the measure of :bowdown: :bowdown2: :bowdown: :bowdown2: my cat.:yup: :yup: :yup: :yup:

 

[Flopfoot]

When he said “man is the measure of all things”, maybe he was trying to say that all things are subjective - that what something IS, is only what man thinks it is. So then, by such a philosophy, if man things a dog is a worthless mongrel, then it is a worthless mongrel, while if man thinks a dog is a helpful friend, then it is a helpful friend. Or whatever. Of course I don’t agree with this philosophy as it implies that if man did not believe in God, then God would not exist (which is a load of trash).

Alternatively, he might have meant by “man is the measure of all things” that anything can be measured by how much it is like man. For example, pizza is like man in the sense that it has a physical form and is made up of some of the same elements, but in most other ways very unlike man as it can’t move or breathe or anything like that. So pizza is only as meaningful in that it is like man, I guess. Angels are like man in many ways except for lacking a physical form and they aren’t bound by time. Dogs are like man except lacking sentience and lacking a spiritual side. I don’t know why this is a useful way to measure things, however.

 

[Ani_Ibi]

Man may be the measure of all things, but a dog measures man.

Nice move!

 

[cpayne]

When he said “man is the measure of all things”, maybe he was trying to say that all things are subjective - that what something IS, is only what man thinks it is. So then, by such a philosophy, if man things a dog is a worthless mongrel, then it is a worthless mongrel, while if man thinks a dog is a helpful friend, then it is a helpful friend. Or whatever. Of course I don’t agree with this philosophy as it implies that if man did not believe in God, then God would not exist (which is a load of trash).

Alternatively, he might have meant by “man is the measure of all things” that anything can be measured by how much it is like man. For example, pizza is like man in the sense that it has a physical form and is made up of some of the same elements, but in most other ways very unlike man as it can’t move or breathe or anything like that. So pizza is only as meaningful in that it is like man, I guess. Angels are like man in many ways except for lacking a physical form and they aren’t bound by time. Dogs are like man except lacking sentience and lacking a spiritual side. I don’t know why this is a useful way to measure things, however.

I think your first paragraph is what he meant, which is why I also disagree that man is the measure of all things. Protagoras was the founder of the Sophists, sworn enemies of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. I’m on SPA’s side!:knight1:

Of course, for those of you who do think humans are the measure of all things, I don’t think of you as evil or anything. Necessarily.

 

[Ani_Ibi]

Of course, for those of you who do think humans are the measure of all things, I don’t think of you as evil or anything. Necessarily.

Me neither. :nope: No. Not evil.

 

[Ani_Ibi]

OK, I’ll let the cat… er… dog out of the bag. Yesterday a friend and I were talking about do animals go to heaven? Do they have free will? Do they have souls?

And I thought of all the seeing-eye dogs, rescue dogs, guard-dogs out there. All the dolphins that rescued shipwrecked sailors. My neighbour’s cat who took care of her when she is in mourning.

We have notions about what a dog is. But is the true measure of a dog?

 

[cpayne]

OK, I’ll let the cat… er… dog out of the bag. Yesterday a friend and I were talking about do animals go to heaven? Do they have free will? Do they have souls?

And I thought of all the seeing-eye dogs, rescue dogs, guard-dogs out there. All the dolphins that rescued shipwrecked sailors. My neighbour’s cat who took care of her when she is in mourning.

We have notions about what a dog is. But is the true measure of a dog?

I’ve got to run, but I’ll type swiftly.

Do animals have souls? Both the OT and the NT say they do, I think about seven times in the NT. (Psuche / anima, animal life, translated as soul many times.) However, animals are NEVER said to have pneuma / spirit, as God and humans are said to have. I’m assuming when their animal life (psuche) ends, they end, too.

However, C.S. Lewis argues that perhaps just as humans are “drawn up” into the life of God, perhaps animals are “drawn up” into the life of humans, and thus into eternal life with God. It’s a nice idea, anyway. Who was that priest or bishop who said, “If you can’t be happy in heaven without your pet, your pet will be there”?

And doesn’t Jesus have a white horse in Heaven, according to the Book of Revelation?

 

[Jay2]

If it ain’t bigger than a football, or you can jam it in a purse (and it’s happy!?)… It’s not a DOG! A “real” dog… over 30lbs., and has enough smarts to know which side it’s bread is buttered on…

A dog is the measure of a creature that requires:
Food in my dish.
Water in my bowl.
An occasional scratch behind my ears.
Some scraps from the table time to time.

In exchange for:
Protecting my family & home from all intruders, by barking or biting until I’m killed or unable to fight back.
Forgiving you for leaving me out all night, forgetting my supper, or letting my water dish go dry.
Patiently waiting for “next time” when you blow out the door with me waiting with ball in mouth.
Jumping into ice-water, swimming 50yds., and bringing back the duck you shot. (That I’ll never get a taste of…)