• Dr Nishant A.Irudayadason
  Professor of Philosophy and Ethics,
  Jnana-Deepa Institute of
  Philosophy & Theology, Pune.

On 4th June 2020, Kerala witnessed a disturbing episode of cruelty that shocked many people. A pregnant elephant, already burdened by the weight of impending motherhood, met a gruesome end after consuming a pineapple laced with firecrackers. The incident, which unfolded in the forested regions of India, became a point of outrage and mourning after a forest official shared the news on social media. The details of the attack—whether it was a deliberate act of cruelty or a tragic accident—remain shrouded in mystery. Still, the image of an animal suffering in agony for days before succumbing to her injuries is a stark reminder of the cruelty that some humans are capable of.
Contrast this with a more recent event reported on 2 August 2024, though it occurred on 30 July 2024 in Wayanad, Kerala. During severe flooding and landslides, Sujatha and her granddaughter were in a dire situation, struggling to survive amidst the chaos. As they were swept through the floodwaters, they took refuge in a coffee plantation where a herd of elephants unexpectedly shielded them. Sujatha described how she and her granddaughter huddled beneath the feet of the elephants for safety through the night. When dawn broke, the elephants’ protective stance spared them, and they were rescued at 6:00 A.M. Sujatha observed, “I could see its eyes welling up as the dawn broke,” highlighting the profound empathy the elephants seemed to exhibit.
These two incidents, separated by over four years, reveal contrasting aspects of our interaction with the animal kingdom. On the one hand, we see a heart-wrenching instance of brutality; on the other, a poignant display of compassion from creatures often underestimated for their emotional depth. To understand the philosophical underpinnings of our complex relationship with animals, we can turn to the insights of French philosopher Gilbert Simondon. In his lectures, “Deux leçons sur l’animal et l’homme,” (Two lessons on Animal and Human) Simondon explores the evolution of thought regarding animal psychology and intelligence. He examines how different historical perspectives have influenced our views on animals and their place in the natural world.
Simondon traces the origins of thought on animal and human psychology back to Antiquity. Initially, thinkers like Pythagoras and Anaxagoras did not sharply differentiate between the souls of humans, animals, and plants. They viewed all living beings as endowed with a vital principle, reflecting an early understanding of a continuum of life. Socrates introduced a more pronounced division, positing a distinct separation between human intelligence and animal instinct. This dualism was further entrenched by Plato, who considered animals to lack the rational faculties that define human experience. Aristotle offered a more nuanced view, suggesting that animals, like humans, possess memory and the ability to experience pleasure and pain, albeit in a more rudimentary form. His observations laid the groundwork for a more biological approach to understanding life across different species, recognising functional similarities between humans, animals, and plants.
The Stoics, however, introduced a view reinforcing the hierarchical separation between humans and animals, positing that human nature was fundamentally superior. This perspective was further crystallised in the Middle Ages and early modern period by figures like Descartes, who reduced animals to mere automata devoid of consciousness or reasoning. In contrast, the Renaissance brought a shift with thinkers like Giordano Bruno and Saint Francis of Assisi, who challenged the prevailing notions of human superiority. Bruno, for instance, saw animals as participants in a universal life force, while Saint Francis of Assisi viewed them as integral to the divine order, deserving respect and compassion.
Simondon’s exploration reveals that our understanding of animals has been shaped by shifting paradigms of human superiority and empathy throughout history. The historical evolution from viewing animals as mere automatons to recognising their potential for emotional depth reflects a broader philosophical struggle to reconcile our ethical responsibilities with our scientific understanding. The philosophical insights provided by Simondon and other thinkers underscore that while historical perspectives have often sought to establish a hierarchy between humans and animals, contemporary understanding must recognise the shared capacities for suffering and empathy across species. Through such empathy and understanding, we can hope to foster a world where human and animal lives are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.