An Indian court has granted damages to the owner of an elephant killed in an auto accident because the pachyderm was “on par” with a human because it could obey commands and do tricks, etc.
Well, then the owner had better be charged with slavery, because you can’t own humans but you can elephants.
I am not saying the owner should not have been compensated for his loss, but this gets awfully close to the idea of “wrongful death.” Sure, it’s India. But it is also a denial of human exceptionalism.
Of Roots and Adventures
I have lived in Ohio, Michigan, Georgia (twice), Pennsylvania, Alabama (also twice), England, and Idaho. I left…
Our Most Popular Articles of 2025
It’s been a big year for First Things. Our website was completely redesigned, and stories like the…
Our Year in Film & Television—2025
First Things editors and writers share the most memorable films and TV shows they watched this year.…