human-law
Explanation
The Joke
A dog and a duck are having a philosophical conversation by a pond. The dog asks whether the duck thinks human laws are "just," and the duck replies that of course they are -- "they're practically the definition of human." The dog points out that this logic means the humans merely "found" the laws, which puts the laws before the humans. This leads to a deeper question: "If the laws are not of human making, what is that being above humans, making laws for them?"
The duck considers this and offers a religiously-tinged answer: "The commandments say to bring back shot ducks and not to bite the mailman. I don't need to philosophize; I'm just grateful." The dog chimes in asking about whether being a good pupper counts, which the duck affirms. The final panel shows them in a reverent prayer-like pose, with the dog saying "Hallowed be thy name, Dad" -- "Dad" being a dog's understanding of God (their human owner).
The Humor
The comic is a clever reworking of classical philosophical arguments about natural law and the existence of God, filtered through the perspective of domesticated animals. The dogs and ducks interpret the rules their owners impose on them -- "bring back shot ducks," "don't bite the mailman," "be a good pupper" -- as divine commandments from a higher being. The punchline of calling their owner "Dad" (instead of "God") perfectly captures how pets already treat their owners with a kind of worshipful devotion, making the theological framework feel oddly apt.
References
The comic references the philosophical debate about natural law versus positive law -- whether laws are inherent truths discovered by humans or merely human constructs. This line of reasoning, especially the argument that the existence of moral law implies a lawgiver, echoes the moral argument for the existence of God, associated with thinkers like C.S. Lewis and Thomas Aquinas.