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We know that other animals feel pain in the same way that we know that other human beings feel pain. We do not need words to understand the suffering of a famine victim whose language we do not understand. Through their physical reactions, we try to infer the pain of other human beings, even though we can never ascertain it with absolute certainty. We know how we ourselves react to situations which cause us pain. When other animals, or other humans, are subjected to these same conditions, they exhibit the same physical responses that we do. Regardless of what we might think about the alleged superiority of humans over animals in all other areas, when it comes to the ability to feel pain and suffering, other animals will forever be our equals.
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