By Andrew L. Jaffee

I cannot for the life of me understand people who claim that humans are superior to flora and fauna, or that man has dominion over all creation. I prefer to see humankind as stewards, recognizing the right of the natural world to chart its own evolutionary course, and admitting that a healthy environment is good for humanity (as in Adam Smith’s enlightened self interest). For example, animals are obviously capable of the same emotions that some people covet (or do not have, e.g. the terrorists): emotions like empathy:

Oscar the cat seems to have an uncanny knack for predicting when nursing home patients are going to die, by curling up next to them during their final hours. His accuracy, observed in 25 cases, has led the staff to call family members once he has chosen someone. It usually means they have less than four hours to live. …

“Many family members take some solace from it. They appreciate the companionship that the cat provides for their dying loved one,” said [Dr. David] Dosa, a geriatrician and assistant professor of medicine at Brown University.

The 2-year-old feline was adopted as a kitten and grew up in a third-floor dementia unit at the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. The facility treats people with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease and other illnesses. …