8/17/2019 Notes Duties to Animals.docx

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Liberal View of Persons: Some animals have the right to life

Reagan’s Argument for the Liberal View

1. Suppose that all and only humans are person.. !hen there must be some attribute" A" that all and only humans possess.

#. !here is no su$h attribute.a. %apa$ity to reasonb. %apa$ity to ma&e free $hoi$es$. 'aving a $on$ept of self d. Sentien$ee. 'aving positive interests

(. !hen it is false that all and only humans are persons.

%onservative View: )o animals are persons" nor are animals *members of the moral

$ommunity+

,ant:

1. -ire$t duties: duties owed to a being for the sa&e of that being. ndire$t duties: duties owed to a being for the same of some other beings

/ 0e do not have dire$t duties to animals" but indire$t duties to treat animals in

$ertain ways for the sa&e of developing appropriate attitudes to human

beings/ asis for this view:

o 'umans have *intrinsi$ worth"+ animals don’t

o Rationality2rationality of a spe$ial sort

o 'umans use reason to re3e$t on morality" i.e." to be *sour$es of

normativity+

-eontologi$al Approa$hes: !here are overriding moral duties that apply irrespe$tive

of what produ$es the best $onse4uen$es overall

5oderate View: At least some animals are members of the moral $ommunity" but no

animals have a right to life

 !eleologi$al Approa$hes: !he moral worth of our a$tions is measure solely by the

$onse4uen$es they produ$e

Singer: Animals have an interest to avoid su6ering

Prin$iple of ene7$en$e: A$t to bene7t others

Prin$iple of )onmale7$en$e: Avoid harms" su$h as pain and su6ering

Prin$iple of 84ual %onsideration: !he interests of every being must be given

e4ual $onsideration