PHIL448 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Speciesism, Animal Ethics, Sentience
22 Dec 2016
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Leopold: the health of the land as a whole is intrinsically valuable. Singer: pleasurable states of mind are intrinsically valuable this gives value to sentient animals (utilitarianism) Regan: to be the continuing subject-of-a-life is intrinsically valuable this gives an animal right to life. The dominant view which attributes (merely) instrumental value to animals: Aristotle: each species has a telos or purpose. Even organs of individual animals are purpose-drive, on this view. Hierarchy: all animals are here to serve humans their good" is to be good to us". Kant: indirect duty view avoid harm to property, or to our own sensibilities. Rejecting speciesism follows from our rejection of racism and sexism. Speciesism: if you"re a human you are better than other forms of life. The correct way to argue against these -isms is not to focus on actual similarities (at individual or group levels), but to recognize a moral ideal.
