Well, that's the whole difference between us and animals isn't it? To critically appraise and make conscious decisions of our actions, to subject ourselves to certain standards of behaviour, to ruminate on the ideas of duty and morality. But then again, how am I certain of the behaviour of animals? Perhaps they too possess critical thought; perhaps they too have their own sets of values and principles. How would we know, since we can't communicate with them? Or is that idea too absurd?