Do animals have morals?

Elisa (No)

Merriam-Webster defines morality as 'conformity to ideals of right human conduct.' Anyone who claims animals can demonstrate this trait is twisting the definition of how morality should be viewed in the first place--amongst humans only. While we may see the building blocks of morality in non-humans, the human brain is wired explicitly for it. According to psychologists, 'Human beings, unlike other animals, are able to reflect on and make judgments about our own and others' actions, and as a result, we are able to make considered moral choices.'

Saying animals have morality is a slippery slope, and blurring these lines could be dangerous and have many ethical consequences. Could animals, for example, participate in a community to decide on rules or laws? In other words, philosophers like Kant limit morality to rational reasoning and decision-making, something animals lack on many levels. 

To add to Kant's arguments, an important aspect of morality is self-awareness, which animals also do not have. While it may appear on the surface that animals know right or wrong, this comes from a lack of understanding of many complex environmental, evolutionary, and psychological elements. Most scientists agree that animals just do not have what it takes to be moral agents, including the ability to reason and rationalize the way humans do.

Finally, morality has to be distinguished from strategic or 'pro-social' behavior. For example, though a sociopath may appear to have morals on the surface, they simply may have learned strategies to avoid conflict, the same way an animal does. To say animals have morality, one has to say that it is wrong for the lion to kill a zebra--and it's not; it's just the circle of life.

Chad (Yes)

Animals are moral creatures with complex emotions that some mistakenly think of as uniquely human. Some people believe that animals only 'do the right thing' to receive a reward or because it is more evolutionarily advantageous. 

However, evolutionary biologists have shown that many social animals will share resources, such as vampire bats, who will give blood to unfed individuals after a night of feeding. If a bat 'cheats' and asks for blood often, it will be kicked out of the nest. Some might say blood sharing is just an evolved strategy that increases a population's fitness. But it's more than that; animals want to do the right thing.

Another example involves rats, who will not only help an unknown rat escape when caught in a trap but, when presented with food, will leave some for their trapped kin. Rats are morally inclined to help others in need (the trap) and can plan for future needs (the leftover food). 

We can see countless similar examples throughout the mammal class. Owners of pets can attest to their animal's anger or frustration when they feel things are unfair. Animals will also help one another, even though it does not benefit them or increase fitness. These and many other examples indicate that some morals are intrinsic to social species and are derived from logic and evolution. This fact should be comforting to those who think we are losing all morality in the face of waning religiousness in society. Most animals don't want others to suffer and will go out of their way to help them. We should be able to say the same for humans, but sometimes cannot.