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To all of these animals we owe respect for their basic inviolable rights.
A book of 30 extracts from major political philosophers from Plato to Russell, on the nature of animals and their relation to humanity. The book aims to demonstrate the major shifts in thinking about the place of animals in society which have taken place over 2500 years.
Looking at the impact on political thinking caused by the idea that animals are morally important beings, this text suggests that liberalism, despite having weaknesses, is the most appropriate ideological position for the protection of animal interests.
At the same time, he argues that humans have a greater interest in life and liberty than most species of nonhuman animals.
THE argument for animal rights, a classic since its appearance in 1983, from the moral philosophical point of view. With a new preface.
Gary L. Francione is a law professor and leading philosopher of animal rights theory. Robert Garner is a political theorist specializing in the philosophy and politics of animal protection. Francione maintains that we have no moral justification for using nonhumans and argues that because animals are property or economic commodities laws or industry practices requiring "humane" treatment will, as a general matter, fail to provide any meaningful level of protection. Garner favors a version of animal rights that focuses on eliminating animal suffering and adopts a protectionist approach, maintaining that although the traditional animal-welfare ethic is philosophically flawed, it can contribute strategically to the achievement of animal-rights ends. As they spar, Francione and Garner deconstruct the animal protection movement in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, and elsewhere, discussing the practices of such organizations as PETA, which joins with McDonald's and other animal users to "improve" the slaughter of animals. They also examine American and European laws and campaigns from both the rights and welfare perspectives, identifying weaknesses and strengths that give shape to future legislation and action.
Do all animals have rights? Is it morally wrong to use mice or dogs in medical research, or rabbits and cows as food? How ought we resolve conflicts between the interests of humans and those of other animals? Philosophical inquiry is essential in addressing such questions; the answers given must have enormous practical importance. Here for the first time in the same volume, the animal rights debate is argued deeply and fully by the two most articulate and influential philosophers representing the opposing camps. Each makes his case in turn to the opposing case. The arguments meet head on: Are we humans morally justified in using animals as we do? A vexed and enduring controversy here receives its deepest and most eloquent exposition.
Alasdair Cochrane introduces an entirely new theory of animal rights grounded in their interests as sentient beings. He then applies this theory to different and underexplored policy areas, such as genetic engineering, pet-keeping, indigenous hunting, and religious slaughter. In contrast to other proponents of animal rights, Cochrane claims that because most sentient animals are not autonomous agents, they have no intrinsic interest in liberty. As such, he argues that our obligations to animals lie in ending practices that cause their suffering and death and do not require the liberation of animals. Cochrane's "interest-based rights approach" weighs the interests of animals to determine which is sufficient to impose strict duties on humans. In so doing, Cochrane acknowledges that sentient animals have a clear and discernable right not to be made to suffer and not to be killed, but he argues that they do not have a prima facie right to liberty. Because most animals possess no interest in leading freely chosen lives, humans have no moral obligation to liberate them. Moving beyond theory to the practical aspects of applied ethics, this pragmatic volume provides much-needed perspective on the realities and responsibilities of the human-animal relationship.
What is the role of government in protecting animal welfare? What principles should policy makers draw on as they try to balance animal welfare against human liberty? Much has been written in recent years on our moral duties towards animals, but scholars and activists alike have neglected the important question of how far the state may go to enforce those duties. Kimberly K. Smith fills that gap by exploring how liberal political principles apply to animal welfare policy. Focusing on animal welfare in the United States, Governing Animals begins with an account of the historical relationship between animals and the development of the American liberal welfare state. It then turns to the central theoretical argument: Some animals (most prominently pets and livestock) may be considered members of the liberal social contract. That conclusion justifies limited state intervention to defend their welfare - even when such intervention may harm human citizens. Taking the analysis further, the study examines whether citizens may enjoy property rights in animals, what those rights entail, how animals may be represented in our political and legal institutions, and what strategies for reform are most compatible with liberal principles. The book takes up several policy issues along the way, from public funding of animal rescue operations to the ethics of livestock production, animal sacrifice, and animal fighting. Beyond even these specific policy questions, this book asks what sort of liberalism is suitable for the challenges of the twenty-first century. Smith argues that investigating the political morality of our treatment of animals gives us insight into how to design practices and institutions that protect the most vulnerable members of our society, thus making of our shared world a more fitting home for both humans and the nonhumans to which we are so deeply connected.
This third volume of articles dealing with advances in animal welfare science and philosophy covers a wide variety of topics. Major areas of discussion include the ethics and use of animals in biomedical research, farm animal behavior and welfare, and wildlife conservation. Three articles dealing with aspects of equine behavior and welfare cover new ground for this companion species. An in-depth study of the destruction of Latin America's tropical rain forests links the need for conservation and wildlife protection with the devastating impact of the international beef (hamburger) industry, and also highlights serious welfare problems in the husbandry of cattle in the tropics. Papers from a recent symposium at Moorhead State University, Animals and Humans: Ethical Perspectives have been included in this volume. Many of these are "benchmark" papers presenting the most up-to-date and documented evidence in support of animal welfare and rights. Articles oppos ing these position papers are included since they were part of the symposium, and because they provide the reader with a deeper understanding of the arguments given in support of various forms of animal exploitation. While there is no intent to endorse these views by publishing them, it should be acknowledged that without an open and scholarly exchange of opposing of constructive exchange and conflict resolution will views, the possibility remain remote.