Animal Rights & Vegan Ethics 2012

Animal Rights & Vegan Ethics Animal Rights & Vegan Ethics Made AppetizingMade AppetizingCarrie Packwood Freeman, PhD

Assistant Professor of Communication – GSUPresentation Nov. 10, 2012 at Atlanta Veg Fest

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Q: When people ask you why you are veg(etari)an, do you mention other animals in your rationale?

If so, what do you briefly say?

Today We Will Be…Today We Will Be…

Putting vegetarian ethics in context of animal ethics (animal welfare and animal rights).

Putting animal ethics in historical context of Western philosophy.

WHY? •To demonstrate ethical veganism has strong cultural roots.

•To better define our own ethical convictions (for our own sense of moral integrity)

•To better communicate our ethical rationales to others so we can speak up for exploited animals & cultivate more respectful worldviews (eating someone is more than just a personal preference. It’s a moral, political, and ecological issue)

My Talk will Cover…My Talk will Cover…

Historical Western philosophies on animal ethics and vegetarian ethics:Ancient Greece, Scientific Revolution (17th century), 18th & 19th century

Modern philosophies on animal rights (vs. welfare) and eating animals:Utilitarian, duty-based, feminist, and legal.

Current strategy debates in farmed animal rights movement:Welfare (farming reform) versus abolition/rights (veganism)

Source of most historical references along with Linzey & Clarke (2004)

Historical Views of Historical Views of Other AnimalsOther Animals

Ancient Times (500 B.C.E – 300 C.E.) GREEK PHILOSOPHY:

Pythagoras and Plato saw physical & spiritual kinship between all animals. They acknowledged animal emotion and reason. Porphyry argued against their exploitation.

But Aristotle saw nonhuman animals, women, and some men as natural slaves.

WESTERN RELIGION: Pagan religions often worshipped animals. But Judeo-Christianity, which was to become

the prevailing worldview, viewed humans as dominant and separate. We have dominion.

Historical Views on Historical Views on VegetarianismVegetarianism

ANCIENT TIMES: Pythagoras, Plutarch, Porphyry

Vegetarian writers of this era critiqued violence, and often stated how the killing of animals for food is unjust because it is a “luxury” not a necessity. We aren’t carnivores.

They also worried that human cruelty towards other animals desensitizes people toward cruelty to humans.

Vegetarians were known as “Pythagoreans”He said vegetarianism was a “gentler nourishment” because it required no “bloodshed.”


You call serpents and lions savage, but you yourselves, by your own foul

slaughter, leave them no room to outdo you in cruelty; for their slaughter is

their living, yours is a mere appetizer. …

But for the sake of some little mouthful of flesh we deprive a soul of the sun

and light, and of that proportion of life and time it had been born into the world

to enjoy.

Plutarch (56-120)

Plutarch also critiqued some cruel farming practices.


Through the middle ages and the renaissance, Christianity thwarted vegetarianism, but not for Leonardo!

I have from an early age abjured the use of meat, and the time will come

when men such as I will look upon

the murder of animals as they now look upon

the murder of men. Leonardo DaVinci (1452 – 1519)


17th & Early 18th Centuries: Age of Enlightenment & Scientific Revolution Cartesianism: Scientist Rene Descartes

promoted mind/body dualism as man/animal dualism. Animals are senseless automata. This enabled vivisection and limited discourse to welfare for centuries.

Locke and Kant argued against using humans as a means to an end, but it was ethical to use nonhumans if it benefited humans. Animal cruelty was deemed bad because it made people inhumane to other people.

Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832)


18th – 19th CenturySentience: Utilitarians Bentham and

Mill, plus Schopenhauer, show concern for nonhuman animal sentience. They call for humane treatment and restriction of animal use, but deem food and some useful research still acceptable.

The day may come when the rest of the animal creation may acquire those rights which never could have been withheld from them but by the hand of tyranny… The question is not can they reason, nor can they talk, but can they suffer?


In resistance to Cartesianism, veg authors defended animal sentience.

Other writings emphasized the idea that flesh-eating does not lead to a virtuous character.

(Mandeville, Shelley)

19th Century Veg authors were often

anthropocentric, but they showed an increasing concern for suffering by including vivid descriptions of slaughterhouse violence.

Some writings have a tone of pity for other animals as weak victims on whom humans should bestow charity.

(Tolstoy, Dr. William Alcott, Thoreau, Dr. Anna Kingsford)

18th Century

ASPCA founded in 1866 by Bergh. First conviction was a butcher.

Quotes from 19Quotes from 19thth century Chicago century Chicago Zoologist, Zoologist, J. Howard MooreJ. Howard Moore

“There is, in fact, but one great crime in the universe, and most of the instances of terrestrial wrong-doing are instances of this crime. It is the crime of exploitation – the considering by some beings of themselves as ends, and of others as their means – the refusal to recognize the equal, or the approximately equal, rights of all to life and its legitimate rewards – the crime of acting toward others as one would that others would not act toward him.”

Moore referred to humans as the “butchers of the universe” and “a globeful of lip-virtuous felons!”

Critiqued human bias and exploitation as criminal.


Late 19th, Early 20th Century

Dr. Albert Schweitzer Won the 1952 Nobel Peace Prize for his philosophy of reverence for life (plants too). He said any harm to living things must be necessary to be ethical.

“Until he extends the circle of compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace.”

Historical Views on Historical Views on VegetarianismVegetarianismHenry Salt (turn of 20th century

British teacher/author/activist): We are hypocrites to call ourselves civilized

when we are violent/savage. He recognized that some animal harm is

necessary to harvest plant crops, but raising of animals for slaughter is unnecessary harm.

Like Tolstoy and Anna Kingsford, he saw vegetarianism as foundational to a virtuous life (and all justice movements).

He influenced Gandhi.* They both believed the strongest reason to go vegetarian was for animal ethics, not health. Altruistic basis sustains all other motives and promotes evolution to higher ethics.* who were both influenced by fellow vegetarian Henry Thoreau.

Notice title. It was 1892!

Contemporary Contemporary Animal Rights Animal Rights Viewpoints – 1970s on…Viewpoints – 1970s on…

PETER SINGER: equal interests for sentient beings

Utilitarian – goal to do what most maximizes pleasure and minimizes pain. So focus is on animal suffering.

What humans really value is people’s sentience, not intelligence.

Many animal species are equally sentient as the human animal.

To discriminate against them because they’re not human is “speciesist” – an unfounded group bias.

So we must respect and consider nonhuman animals’ interests equally to our own. (even if interests are different).

Modern Animal Rights Views on Modern Animal Rights Views on VeganismVeganism

Peter Singer: Animal agriculture is speciesist. It sacrifices the

major interests of nonhumans (life) for the minor interests of humans (taste).

We should make it a “simple general principle to avoid killing animals for food except when it is necessary for survival.”

Contemporary Contemporary Animal Rights Animal Rights Viewpoints – 1970s on…Viewpoints – 1970s on…

TOM REGAN: equal rights for conscious “subjects of a life”

Duty-based philosopher: always do what is right. Don’t use anyone as a means to an end.

Most animals are conscious individuals who value their lives (“subjects of a life”).

We should extend our concept of human rights to other subjects-of-a-life for moral consistency in respecting life.

Subjects have inherent value, so it is wrong to value them solely as a resource/object. This means we should discontinue exploitation.

Modern Animal Rights Views on Modern Animal Rights Views on VeganismVeganism

Tom Regan: It is killing that should be avoided,

not just causing pain. Even idyllic farms take life.

The “total abolition of commercial animal agriculture” is a goal of the animal rights movement.

Contemporary Contemporary Animal Rights Animal Rights Viewpoints- 1970s on…Viewpoints- 1970s on…

FEMALE PERSPECTIVES:

Feminist Ethic of Care: finds traditional ethics too abstract, individualistic, and rationalistic. Prefers to emphasize kinship, community, & personal relationships. Act not out of duty but out of empathy, love, compassion, & caring.

Ecofeminist: Patriarchy is the problem, as men dominated/used women because women were deemed closer to other animals and nature (other dominated entities).

Male/Female Man/Animal Mind/Body Reason/Emotion

Modern Ecofeminist Views on Modern Ecofeminist Views on VeganismVeganism

Carol Adams (ecofeminist): “Women and animals are

similarly positioned in a patriarchal world, as pleasurable objects rather than subjects”

Women and farmed animals both endure a “cycle of objectification, fragmentation, and consumption.”

Modern Ecofeminist Views on Modern Ecofeminist Views on VeganismVeganism

Carol Adams (ecofeminist): Meat is associated historically

with masculinity and male power (in the last 20,000 years only…largely herbivorous before).

Plant-based societies have tend to be more egalitarian than patriarchal.

Animal agriculture uses female animals to profit off their reproductive systems.

Meat, and especially eggs and dairy, are sexist foods.insemination


Legal Activist Perspectives: Gary Francione: Animal rights is about

justice and abolition of exploitation. It demands the “incremental eradication of the property status of animals” to raise them to the level of “personhood.” (and see Steven Wise’s NonhumanRightsProject.org)

Lee Hall: Animal rights is a duty-based ethic granting nonhumans the right to privacy and freedom from human intrusion and control. It’s independence, not benevolent stewardship.


Animal Welfare has the following characteristics (distinct from animal rights), per Gary Francione:

1. Recognizes animal sentience but believes nonhumans are not as worthy of moral respect as humans,

2. Recognizes the property status of nonhumans while wanting to limit the rights of property owners (regulating levels of animal exploitation), and

3. Accepts trading away the interests of nonhumans in favor of human interests only if the latter are deemed significant and necessary.

Hall & Francione warn against conflating welfare

and rights. Rights theory should inform rights activism for logical consistency, and can include incremental abolition.

Debates in Debates in Farmed Animal Farmed Animal Activism – Welfare v. RightsActivism – Welfare v. Rights

Q: Should we promote industry welfare reforms and (implicitly) some less cruel products? A: YES

Humane reforms could help create higher veganism rates. (ex: England)

Reform drives prices up & consumption down. Helps mitigate suffering of billions of animals.Morale-boosting. It gives organizations lots of

small victories needed for fundraising & media.Media coverage causes disgust & raises public

consciousness not to view animals as objects.Public already agrees with anti-cruelty message.Cage-free campaigns are in sync with animal

rights philosophy (?)

Some arguments in Satya mag by Peter Singer, Miyun Park (HSUS), & Bruce Friedrich (PETA).


Q: Should we promote industry welfare reforms and (implicitly) some less cruel products? A: NO

Goal is to promote veganism (end of animal exploitation) not to promote industry’s less cruelly-farmed foods or to regulate acceptable levels of cruelty.

Reform acquiesces, allowing meat/farming to be seen as a necessary evil.

Animal rights is life-affirming, while reform still promotes killing and exploitation with less guilt.

Don’t hide abolitionist or animal rights “agenda” – own it with pride.

Some arguments in Satya mag by Eddie Lama, Bob Torres, Lee Hall, Joan Dunayer, Howard Lyman, & James LaVeck.


Q: Should we promote industry welfare reforms and (implicitly) some less cruel products?

A: NO (cont.)

Control the discourse so the problem is defined as exploitation, not as poor farming practices.

Don’t send mixed messages that introduce moral ambiguity and weaken rights position. Let welfare groups do “humane farming” campaigns.

Vegan frame connects us with larger animal rights goals and with environmentalism (welfare frame does not).

Some arguments in Satya mag by Eddie Lama, Bob Torres, Lee Hall, Joan Dunayer, Howard Lyman, & James LaVeck.

Let’s Speak with Integrity Let’s Speak with Integrity on Behalf of Fellow Animalson Behalf of Fellow Animals

Let your ethical values guide your actions and your speech. Don’t restrict it to fit what the speciesist establishment deems “reasonable.”

If we are not going to give the hard message

for what the animals need, who is?

Transform society by redefining reasonable to include respecting fellow animals’ rights to life, liberty, & the pursuit of happiness.

Australian activist Patty Mark

References on Animal Ethics & References on Animal Ethics & Vegetarian Ethics*Vegetarian Ethics*

Adams, C. J. (1990). The sexual politics of meat : a feminist-vegetarian critical theory. New York: Continuum.

Bauston, G. (2006, September). It’s not a black and white issue. Satya, 18–21. Beers, D. L. (2006). For the prevention of cruelty : the history and legacy of animal rights

activism in the United States. Athens, Ohio: Swallow Press/Ohio University Press. Davis, G. (1999). Vegetarian food for thought : quotations & inspirations. Troutdale, OR: New

Sage Press. Donovan, J., & Adams, C. J. (2007). The feminist care tradition in animal ethics : a reader.

New York: Columbia University Press. Dunayer, J. (2001). Animal equality: language and liberation. Derwood, Md.: Ryce Dunayer,

J. (2006, October). Serving abuse. Satya, 52–53. Finsen, L., & Finsen, S. (1994). The animal rights movement in America: from compassion to

respect. New York: Twayne. Foer, J. S. (2009). Eating animals. New York: Little, Brown and Company. Francione, G. L. (1996). Rain without thunder: The ideology of the animal rights movement.

Philadelphia, Pa.: Temple University Press. Freeman, C. P. (2008). Struggling for ideological integrity in the social movement framing

process : how U.S. animal rights organizations frame values and ethical ideology in food advocacy communication. Dissertation. University of Oregon.

* This presentation’s info is largely pulled from the literature review of Carrie Packwood Freeman’s dissertation to be published as a book Growing Vegetarians in 2013 or 2014.

References on Animal Ethics & References on Animal Ethics & Vegetarian Ethics (cont.)Vegetarian Ethics (cont.)

Gandhi. (1957). An autobiography : the story of my experiments with truth. Boston: Beacon Press.

Hall, L. (2006a). Capers in the Churchyard: Animal Rights Advocacy in the Age of Terror. Darien, CT: Nectar Bat Press.

Hall, L. (2006b, October). Animal rights and wrongs. Satya, 24–27. Joy, M. (2010). Why we love dogs, eat pigs, and wear cows: an introduction to carnism.

San Francisco: Conari Press. Lama, E. (2006, September). Sadly, happy meat. Satya, 14–16. LaVeck, J. (2006a, September). Compassion for Sale? Satya, 8–11. LaVeck, J. (2006b, October). Invasion of the movement snatchers. Satya, 18–23. Linzey, A., & Clarke, P. (2004). Animal rights: A historical anthology. New York: Columbia

University Press. Lyman, H. (2006, September). Straight talk from a former cattleman. Satya, 28–31. Mark, P. (2006, September). The importance of being honest. Satya, 22–25. Mason, J. (1997). An unnatural order: Why we are destroying the planet and each other.

New York: Continuum. Matheny, G. (2003). Least harm: A defense of vegetarianism from Steven Davis’s

omnivorous proposal. Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, 16(5), 505–511. Maurer, D. (2002). Vegetarianism: Movement or moment? Philadelphia, PA: Temple

University Press.

References on Animal Ethics & References on Animal Ethics & Vegetarian Ethics (cont.)Vegetarian Ethics (cont.)

Park, M. (2006, October). Calculating compassion. Satya, 14–16. Regan, T. (1983). The case for animal rights. Berkeley: University of California Press. Regan, T. (2002). How to worry about endangered species. In D. Schmidtz & E. Willott

(Eds.), Environmental ethics: What really matters, what really works (pp. 105–108). New York: Oxford University Press.

Regan, T. (2003). Animal rights, human wrongs: An introduction to moral philosophy. Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.

Rifkin, J. (1992). Beyond beef: The rise and fall of the cattle culture. New York: Dutton. Salt, H. S. (1980). Animals’ rights : considered in relation to social progress (2nd edition

(first published 1892).). Clarks Summit, Pa.: Society for Animal Rights. Singer, P. (1990). Animal liberation (2nd ed.). New York: Random House. Singer, P. (2006, October). Singer says. Satya, 8–12. Singer, P., & Friedrich, B. (2006, September). The longest journey begins with a single step:

Promoting animal rights by promoting reform. Satya, 12–13. Singer, P., & Mason, J. (2006). The ethics of what we eat: Why our food choices matter. New

York: Rodale. Torres, B. (2006, September). The odd logic of welfarism. Satya, 40–41. Walters, K. S., & Portmess, L. (1999). Ethical vegetarianism: From Pythagoras to Peter

Singer. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press. Wynne-Tyson, J. (1990). The extended circle: An anthology of humane thought. London:

Sphere Books.

Education

Animal Rights & Vegan Ethics 2012