Rise of the Planet of the Apes, 2011

"Moral status are characteristics such as: language, reason, sentience, and life; we attribute these to certain entities. We know humans have moral status but it is entirely possible that other life forms have it as well. An example of Moral Status can be seen in the film Planet of the Apes when Caesar shows incorrect morals. Caesar shows another attribute of moral status when he realizes biting off someone's finger is wrong. The instant regret is shown perfectly through the emotions on his face."

"I loved this video! In this case he indeed seems to understand something about right and wrong, in the beginning when one character is attaching the other one he knows it is the wrong thing to do and intervenes and then he understands he has gone too far when biting the guy's finger. Do animals really understand moral concepts? Is he just reacting to basic aggression and to the reaction of the guy he was trying to help? Or does he understand? And even if he doesn't, how does that affect his moral status? Soujourner Truth in he speech "Ain't I a Woman" in 1851 said: "Then they talk about this thing in the head; what’s this they call it? [member of audience whispers, “intellect”] That’s it, honey. What’s that got to do with women’s rights or Negroes’ rights? If my cup won’t hold but a pint, and yours holds a quart, wouldn’t you be mean not to let me have my little half measure full?" It may be that moral status is not dependent on intelligent, but merely on sensitivity or suffering, if a being can suffer and if we inflict suffering that can be easily avoided on this being, then we are not taking their moral status into consideration... "