Vivisection by C.S. Lewis

Part 1:
1. Do animals "really have souls"?
2. If vivisection becomes illegal, how can we replace vivisection? 
3. Are human above animals?
Part 2:
2. Do animals "really have souls"?

 C.S Lewis writes about vivisection in his book “God in the Dock”, a controversial topic, he mentions that the Christian defender and Latin countries practice vivisection because they believe animals “have no souls” (225). Lewis questions that how can one say that animals do not have a conscious if they act like if they have one. This piece made me think of my animals, when they would act suspicious and then I would see that they had gone to the bathroom in the house, afterwards they have a shame look on their face after they see ones reaction. I for one do believe animals have a conscious and genuine emotion, because of the experiences I have had with my dogs. I do believe dogs have general emotion because when I am feeling upset my dogs comfort me vice versa when they go to the vet.

Later on, Lewis explains that if animals do not have souls they are not recompensed in their other life because “they have no moral responsibilities and are not immortal.’’ (225) I for one do believe that animals do have souls.  I believe this because I have three dogs and each one protects me in their own way not because they have to but they want to: my toy poodle Chiquita protects me against everyone including my mother when she tries to wake me up, my pit-bull Chonchies protects me against people she feels are threatening my safety, and lastly Shih Tzu Chowder she is a calm one and only barks at strangers that knock at my door.

Not everyone feels this way about animals, in Mexico I would see dead dogs on the road or people throwing things or kick at them to get away, and people would say that it was no big deal they are just dogs. Never the less I do believe dogs have souls.