The Animal Question: Why Nonhuman Animals Deserve Human RightsHow much do animals matter--morally? Can we keep considering them as second class beings, to be used merely for our benefit? Or, should we offer them some form of moral egalitarianism? Inserting itself into the passionate debate over animal rights, this fascinating, provocative work by renowned scholar Paola Cavalieri advances a radical proposal: that we extend basic human rights to the nonhuman animals we currently treat as "things." Cavalieri first goes back in time, tracing the roots of the debate from the 1970s, then explores not only the ethical but also the scientific viewpoints, examining the debate's precedents in mainstream Western philosophy. She considers the main proposals of reform that recently have been advanced within the framework of today's prevailing ethical perspectives. Are these proposals satisfying? Cavalieri says no, claiming that it is necessary to go beyond the traditional opposition between utilitarianism and Kantianism and focus on the question of fundamental moral protection. In the case of human beings, such protection is granted within the widely shared moral doctrine of universal human rights' theory. Cavalieri argues that if we examine closely this theory, we will discover that its very logic extends to nonhuman animals as beings who are owed basic moral and legal rights and that, as a result, human rights are not human after all. |
Contents
| 3 | |
2 The Problem of Moral Status | 23 |
3 The Traditional Accounts | 41 |
4 Speciesism | 69 |
5 Welfare and the Value of Life | 87 |
6 A Minimal Normative Proposal | 125 |
Notes | 145 |
| 165 | |
| 175 | |
Other editions - View all
The Animal Question : Why Nonhuman Animals Deserve Human Rights: Why ... Paola Cavalieri Limited preview - 2003 |
Common terms and phrases
Alan Gewirth Ape Project appeal approach argument argument from marginal aspect attribution basic basis behavior Bentham biological capacity Cavalieri and Peter chap characteristics claims cognitive concept of person consciousness context criteria David DeGrazia defend Descartes doctrine duties egalitarian endowed equal consideration Ethics Etica & Animali example existence fact freedom fundamental Gewirth harm human rights humans and nonhumans Ibid idea Immanuel Kant implies inclusion individuals interests intrinsic value James Rachels justification Kant Kantian Marc Bekoff means ment mental complexity metaphysical Michael Tooley moral agents moral community moral patients moral relevance moral rights moral status nature nonhuman animals normative notion objective Oxford University Press Paola Cavalieri personhood perspective Peter Singer philosophical plausible possession possible prerequisite principle problem prudential value question rational reason reference Regan Robert Nozick role Sapontzis seems self-consciousness sense species membership speciesism sphere theoretical tion Tom Regan Tony Bland utilitarianism welfare York