Shocking Brutality

The story describes "brutal attacks," horrific injuries, murders and experts unable to discern a motive. Thankfully, the article is not about human perfidy, but dolphin-on-dolphin violence.

The curious thing about this is how moral language suffuses the entire discussion. The author means us to be alarmed and disturbed at animal behavior, but assures us that said behavior is the result of "evolutionary pressures." So why should we care?

We are at a disorienting juncture in history at which the basis for objective, transcendant morality is simply gone while at the same time sentimental anthropomorphism of nature has no limits.