Discussion 9

The differences between a dog and a horse are quite simple from a lay person’s point of view. Both animals are considered to be companions of human beings, but a dog is much closer than a horse. Both are animals that have been domesticated by man. While the question of differences and similarities can appear to be quite simplistic, Aristotle outlines a much more insightful way of discerning the difference between the two animals.

Dogs are kept by human beings for several reasons. The first and the most common reason is that a dog is kept as a pet and a companion for a human. Dogs are described as a man’s best friend, a friendship that has evolved through the ages. Dogs are very loyal pets and can be trained to obey instructions from their masters. They can be quite playful and make for excellent companions. Dogs can also be trained to provide security. Sniffer dogs are used to detect drugs, bombs and to trace the whereabouts of missing people. From these examples, dogs are an essential part of the lives of many people.

Horses, on the other hand, are mainly used for riding especially for sporting or recreational purposes. This is where the main difference between dogs and horses and dogs come in; dogs are mostly kept as pets while horses are used for riding. Horses are much larger than dogs in stature.

Aristotle suggests a more methodical way to go about telling the differences and similarities in animals (Lennox 337). He begins by asking whether it is better to focus on similarities at the level of perception or move to examine similarities within a kind then see what differences they have. He states that among all animals, death and breathing, as well as movement, are common. Horses and dogs both have four legs and move in the same way by walking or running (Balme 5) . Both breathe in the same way and also have death in common. Both animals are tame and spend a lot of time with human beings for whom they are companions and a source of service. The bodies of both animals are covered with fur. From the short comparison, horses and dogs have many physical similarities, and hence they might differ only in size. Even by using Aristotle’s philosophy it is clear that the similarities between a dog and a horse are far more than their difference which comes across mostly in size.

Works Cited

Balme, David M. “Aristotle’s biology was not essentialist.” Archiv für Geschichte der Philosophie 62.1 (1980): 1-12.

Lennox, James G. “Aristotle on genera, species, and “the more and the less”.” Journal of the History of Biology 13.2 (1980): 321-346.