Editors' Introduction
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2. Animal Ethics
2. Animal ethics It was started to provide animal welfare and stop cruel practices on animals, for example factory farming, animal testing, using animals for experimentation or for entertainment. In the most of Western philosophy animals were considered as beings without moral standing, namely those that do not have to be included into our moral choices. The very typical example of this approach is the Cartesian one, according to Rene Descartes (1596-1650), animals are just simple machines that cannot experience pain. The philosopher was known for making vivisections on living animals and claiming that none of the animals could feel the pain during this. In consequence of this approach until modern times there were conducted many unnecessary and cruel experiments with animal usage, also animal’s condition at factory farms or in entrainment were terrible. All these practices caused a huge amount of suffering of animals. The approach to animals was changed with Peter Singer’s influential book on Animal Liberation (1975). Singer raised the issue that animals can suffer and amount of suffering that they experience is not worth what we gain from these cruel practices. His argumentation was utilitarian, which is one of the approaches of normative ethics. Deontological and utilitarian argumentation in animal ethics Normative ethics aims at providing moral standards that regulate right and wrong conduct. This may involve articulating the good habits that we should acquire, the duties that we should follow, or the consequences of our behavior on others. The most popular approaches to normative theory are: deonotology and conseqentialism. The word deontology derives from the Greek words for duty (deon) and science (or study) of (logos). -
Guest of the Issue
122 Guest of the Issue AVANT Volume III, Number 1/2012 www.avant.edu.pl/en 123 Mark Rowlands AVANT editors and co-workers had a chance to meet Mark Rowlands in Toruń, Poland a year ago in 2011. He gave two talks at Philosophers’ Rally , the first one on “Intentionality and the Extended Mind” (involving the discus- sion of his latest book The New Science of The Mind: From Extended Mind to Embodied Phenomenology, 2010) and the second – less formal, on his The Philosopher and the Wolf (2008) me- moirs. Professor Rowlands is certainly a man of many (philosophical) interests. His works may be divided into three cate- gories: the philosophy of the mind and cognitive science (starting from Super- venience and Materialism (1995) and The Nature Of Consciousness (2001), followed by the 2006 and 2010 books already mentioned), ethics, the moral status of non- human animals and problems of natural environment (Animal Rights (1998), The Environmental Crisis (2000) and Animals Like Us (2002)), and broadly construed cultural criticism and philosophy 101-style books (The Philosopher at the End of the Universe (2003), Everything I Know I Learned from TV (2005) and Fame (2008)). Rowland’s article Representing without Representations published in this issue is related to his earlier book, Body Language (2006). Mark Rowlands is currently the Professor of Philosophy at the University of Miami. He began his academic career with an undergraduate degree in engineering at the University of Manchester and then switched to philosophy. He was awarded his PhD in philosophy at the University of Oxford. -
An Autobiography
An Autobiography Richard Ryder Devon, England I recoiled at the obvious sufferings of my prey I was chided for being silly. Although it was considered the proper thing to do to kill an animal "cleanly" and to put wounded creatures "out of their misery" swiftly, the basic right of humankind to dominate and tyrannise was not to be challenged. Killing and exploiting animals was something that made a man a man. Yet I never really doubted that we sentients were all alike-and lowe that mainly to my mother. My father, one of the last of the old sort of English squire, owned thousands of acres of willdlife-rich moorland, forestry and farmland, all of which had been Long before I began campaigning against speciesism in the family for generations. He wore the same huge in 1969 I had felt on the same wavelength as other hobnailed shoes and leather-patched tweed jackets sentients. I shared my bedroom with a monkey for decade after decade and ruled his estate wilb a feudal about three years. His name was Bimbo and he had fmnness and sense of duty. He was sometimes fierce been "rescued" by my mother from a pet shop. She but always fair. went on to rescue others, accommodating them in a As part of the "privileged" upper four percent, I was spacious cage in the garden and taking some of them sent to boys' boarding schools between eight and for walks in the woods. We used to have a photograph eighteen where I was caned and bullied and forced to of a South American capuchin swinging at the top of undergo almost continuous physical and mental a British larch tree! hardship. -
Against 'Effective Altruism'
Against ‘Effective Altruism’ Alice Crary Effective Altruism (EA) is a programme for rationalising for the most part adopt the attitude that they have no charitable giving, positioning individuals to do the ‘most serious critics and that sceptics ought to be content with good’ per expenditure of money or time. It was first for- their ongoing attempts to fine-tune their practice. mulated – by two Oxford philosophers just over a decade It is a posture belied by the existence of formidable ago–as an application of the moral theory consequential- critical resources both inside and outside the philosoph- ism, and from the outset one of its distinctions within ical tradition in which EA originates. In light of the undis- the philanthropic world was expansion of the class of puted impact of EA, and its success in attracting idealistic charity-recipients to include non-human animals. EA young people, it is important to forcefully make the case has been the target of a fair bit of grumbling, and even that it owes its success primarily not to the – question- some mockery, from activists and critics on the left, who able – value of its moral theory but to its compatibility associate consequentialism with depoliticising tenden- with political and economic institutions responsible for cies of welfarism. But EA has mostly gotten a pass, with some of the very harms it addresses. The sincere ded- many detractors concluding that, however misguided, its ication of many individual adherents notwithstanding, efforts to get bankers, tech entrepreneurs and the like to reflection on EA reveals a straightforward example of give away their money cost-effectively does no serious moral corruption. -
Animals & Ethics
v ABOUT THIS BOOK This book provides an overview of the current debates about the nature and extent of our moral obligations to animals. Which, if any, uses of animals are morally wrong, which are morally permissible (i.e., not wrong) and why? What, if any, moral obligations do we, individually and as a society (and a global community), have towards animals and why? How should animals be treated? Why? We will explore the most influential and most developed answers to these questions – given by philosophers, scientists, and animal advocates and their critics – to try to determine which positions are supported by the best moral reasons. Topics include: x general theories of ethics and their implications for animals, x moral argument analysis, x general theories of our moral relations to animals, x animal minds, and x the uses of animals for food, clothing, experimentation, entertainment, hunting, as companions or pets, and other purposes. The book offers discussion questions and paper assignments to encourage readers to develop positions on theoretical and practice issues concerning ethics and animals, give reasons for their support, and respond to possible objections and criticisms. This book is organized around an initial presentation of three of the most influential methods of moral thinking for human to human interactions. We then see how these ethical theories have been extended to apply to human to animal interactions, i.e., how humans ought to treat non-human animals. These perspectives are: x a demand for equality or equal moral consideration of interests (developed by Peter Singer); vi x a demand for respect of the moral right to respectful treatment (developed by Tom Regan); and x a demand that moral decisions be made fairly and impartially and the use of a novel thought experiment designed to ensure this (developed by Mark Rowlands, following John Rawls). -
Equality, Priority and Nonhuman Animals*
Equality, Priority and Catia Faria Nonhuman Animals* Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Department of Law [email protected] http://upf.academia.edu/catiafaria Igualdad, prioridad y animales no humanos ABSTRACT: This paper assesses the implications of egali- RESUMEN: Este artículo analiza las implicaciones del iguali- tarianism and prioritarianism for the consideration of tarismo y del prioritarismo en lo que refiere a la conside- nonhuman animals. These implications have been often ración de los animales no humanos. Estas implicaciones overlooked. The paper argues that neither egalitarianism han sido comúnmente pasadas por alto. Este artículo de- nor prioritarianism can consistently deprive nonhuman fenderá que ni el igualitarismo ni el prioritarismo pueden animals of moral consideration. If you really are an egali- privar de forma consistente de consideración moral a los tarian (or a prioritarian) you are necessarily committed animales no humanos. Si realmente alguien es igualitaris- both to the rejection of speciesism and to assigning prior- ta (o prioritarista) ha de tener necesariamente una posi- ity to the interests of nonhuman animals, since they are ción de rechazo del especismo, y estar a favor de asignar the worst-off. From this, important practical consequen- prioridad a los intereses de los animales no humanos, ces follow for the improvement of the current situation of dado que estos son los que están peor. De aquí se siguen nonhuman animals. importantes consecuencias prácticas para la mejora de la situación actual de los animales no humanos. KEYWORDS: egalitarianism, prioritarianism, nonhuman ani- PALABRAS-CLAVE: igualitarismo, prioritarismo, animales no hu- mals, speciesism, equality manos, especismo, igualdad 1. Introduction It is commonly assumed that human beings should be given preferential moral consideration, if not absolute priority, over the members of other species. -
Animal Rights and Self-Defense Theory
The Journal of Value Inquiry (2009) 43:165–177 Ó Springer 2009 DOI 10.1007/s10790-009-9149-9 Animal Rights and Self-Defense Theory JOHN HADLEY School of Communication, Centre for Applied Philosophy & Public Ethics (CAPPE), Charles Sturt University, N5 Cunningham House, Panorama Avenue, Bathurst, NSW 2795, Australia; e-mail: [email protected] Through his recent discussion of rights-based approaches to the morality of abortion, Jeff McMahan sheds light on the implications for extending self-defense theory to nonpersons that are afforded full moral status.1 McMahanÕs principal target is Judith Thompson who argues that a woman has a right to procure an abortion on the grounds of self-defense, even if the fetus is afforded maximum moral status.2 Central to ThompsonÕs argument is her claim that people should not be obliged to help others at great cost to themselves. She says: ‘‘[N]obody is morally required to make large sacrifices, of health, of all other interests and concerns, of all other duties and commitments, for nine years, or even for nine months, in order to keep another person alive.’’3 According to Thompson, while it is reasonable to expect people to provide so-called minimal aid and assistance to individuals in need, it is asking too much of women to demand they carry an unwanted pregnancy to term given the significant personal costs involved. While broadly sympathetic to her pro-abortion position, McMahan believes that Thompson fails to notice a decisive implication of her thoroughly rights-based theory. His focus is not her key claim that the duty to assist others only goes so far but her treating a fetus as a person with full moral rights. -
Summer Academy Animal Law 2021 Conference Handbook
Summer Academy Animal Law 2021 Conference Handbook 19/20 June 2021 Live Zoom event Summer Academy Animal Law 2021 We are thankful to taOtfefniwciuanld serp oisnt sdoerr Oofff itzhieelle sponSsuomr dmere sro mAmcaerdaekmadyemie 2021Animal Law 2021 The mission of Animal Interfaith Alliance is to create a united voice for animals from all the major faiths to bring about a world where they are treated with respect and compassion. AIA has the following objectives: 1.To provide a stronger voice for animals through the interfaith group than can be provided by many separate voices from individual faiths; 2.To create a co-ordinated approach across the faiths to educate people on the humane treatment of animals; 3.To create a strong and co-ordinated campaigning organisation; 4.To provide a forum to learn from and share the wisdoms of other cultures and traditions; 5.To disseminate that wisdom through literature, including a regular newsletter, books and orders of service, and through the internet, including a website and social media, which can also be used as a campaign tool; 6.To inspire others through interfaith conferences and services with a major event celebrating World Animal Day on 4th October; 7.To promote a vegetarian/vegan diet, which also embraces the issues of environmental protection, healthy lifestyles and ending world hunger, and to end animal exploitation. www.animal-interfaith-alliance.com Table of contents Foreword 6 Message of Greeting 8 Program 9 Time Zone Conversation Table 11 The Summer Academy 2021 13 Joining the Summer Academy via Zoom 14 Panel Discussion 15 The Summer Academy Team 16 Annex: Preparatory reading list 17 Foreword Humans kill billions of animals every year. -
I Am in Training: Wittgenstein on Language Acquisition Megan J
150 Wittgenstein on Language Acquisition I Am in Training: Wittgenstein on Language Acquisition Megan J. Laverty Teachers College, Columbia University Norm Friesen’s analysis of Wittgenstein as a tragic philosopher of education draws upon an understanding of Wittgenstein’s German influences: Arthur Schopenhauer, Friedrich Nietzsche, Sigmund Freud, Karl Kraus, Alfred Loos, Otto Wininger, and Oswald Spengler. According to Friesen, these influences share “a dark view of the world and our place within it,” which inspired Wittgenstein’s deeply pessimistic philosophy of education. Friesen argues that Wittgenstein deliberately brings the experience of learning a language into relation with the way “we talk of an animal being trained to do certain things” in order to highlight that the process of becom- ing a cultured or “conventionalized” being — otherwise known as humanization — necessarily entails “renunciation and brutality.” Friesen may be right that En- glish-speaking philosophers of education have failed to appreciate the full force of Wittgenstein on Abrichtung — the breaking in of an animal by means of obedience training or dressage — but he does not go all the way to establishing that Abrichtung is characteristically brutal and harsh. Wittgenstein uses the word Abrichtung to describe language learning and ed- ucation. As Wolfgang Huemer explains, in German the term is “exclusively used for animals, for training dogs to sit down on the command ‘sit,’ or horses to gallop when the rider performs a certain bodily movement.”1 Thus, to German speakers, Wittgenstein’s suggestion that “we have to abrichten our children” seems quite drastic; it implies that children are animals. According to Friesen, English-speaking philos- ophers of education are inclined to explain away Wittgenstein’s reliance upon the term, and so make his philosophy of education appear far more progressive than it is. -
Doctor of Philosophy
RICE UNIVERSITY By Drew Robert Winter A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE Doctor of Philosophy APPROVED, THESIS COMMITTEE Cymene Howe (Apr 15, 2020) Cymene Howe James Faubion James Faubion (Apr 15, 2020) James Faubion Cary Wolfe Cary Wolfe (Apr 16, 2020) Cary Wolfe HOUSTON, TEXAS April 2020 i Abstract Hyperanimals: framing livestock and climate change in Danish Imaginaries By Drew Robert Winter The IPCC and UN FAO have both suggested a global reduction in meat consumption to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But how do nations and citizens resolve tensions between ecological stewardship and meat consumption? What is implied in eating meat and raising livestock in a country where the historical imaginary yokes national values to the pig-producing countryside? To answer these questions, this dissertation examines how climate change is affecting meat consumption and production logics in Denmark. Though the country has a reputation for progressive environmental policy, its formerly large agricultural sector continues to exert disproportionate political influence, and many citizens consider pork its most "traditional" food. In 2016, a publicly-funded advisory council issued a report suggesting that parliament pass a beef tax to reduce consumption and reflect its environmental impact. The report was the most controversial the council had ever issued, with members receiving angry phone calls and politicians arguing the council should be disbanded. The proposal put national tensions between sustainability -
Speciesism and Language: a Sociolinguistic Approach to the Presence of Speciesism in Current
FACULTAD DE FILOLOGÍA UNIVERSIDAD DE SALAMANCA FACULTAD DE FILOLOGÍA GRADO EN ESTUDIOS INGLESES Trabajo de Fin de Grado Speciesism and Language: A sociolinguistic approach to the presence of speciesism in current British speech Salamanca, 2017 Abstract [EN] This paper is an attempt to study the presence of speciesism in the British culture by analyzing its language. Being this form of discrimination still highly prevalent worldwide, the aim of the essay is to analyze to what extent the English language used in Britain is influenced by it. For this purpose, two popular forms of the language have been analyzed: insults and proverbs. The research has been based on the answers of a survey addressed to young British English speakers and the results obtained from oral entries of the British National Corpus. The results of the study have shown a high influence of speciesism in the language and how normalized it is, proving that this form of discrimination is still highly accepted in the British society and therefore present in its language. Keywords: Speciesism, language, discrimination based on species, insults, proverbs. Abstract [ES] El propósito de este trabajo es el de estudiar la presencia del especismo en la cultura británica analizando su lenguaje. Debido al hecho de que esta forma de discriminación está todavía muy extendida alrededor de todo el mundo, este estudio pretende analizar hasta qué punto ha influenciado al inglés hablado en Reino Unido. Para esto hemos analizado dos formas populares del lenguaje: los insultos y los refranes. El estudio se ha basado en las respuestas de una encuesta completada por jóvenes Británicos y en los resultados obtenidos del análisis en entradas orales del British National Corpus. -
Curriculum Vitae Michael Tooley
CURRICULUM VITAE MICHAEL TOOLEY Education University of Toronto, 1959-64. B.A., 1964. Princeton University, 1964-67. Ph.D., 1968. Personal Date of birth: 17 March 1941 Place of birth: Toronto, Canada Married to Sylvia Tooley, with daughters Sandra and Suzanne, and grandchildren Anthony, Joshua, Donald, Joseph, and Sofia. Citizenship: American and Canadian. Academic Honors and Awards President, American Philosophical Association, Pacific Division, 2010-2011. Vice President, American Philosophical Association, Pacific Division, 2009-2010. The Cecil H. and Ida Green Honors Chair Professor, Texas Christian University, Spring, 2010 The John Dewey Lecture, "A Philosophical Journey," American Philosophical Association, Central Division, Chicago, February, 2009. College Professor of Distinction, Arts and Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, 2006- Faculty Fellowship. University of Colorado at Boulder, 2006-2007. Boulder Faculty Assembly Excellence in Research Award, 1998-1999. JSPS Invitation Fellowship for Research in Japan. Awarded by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, 1999. Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities. President, Australasian Association of Philosophy, 1983-1984. Woodrow Wilson Dissertation Fellow, 1966-1967. Woodrow Wilson Fellow, 1964-1965. Most Recent Position Distinguished College Professor, Arts and Sciences, University of Colorado. 2006- University of Colorado, Philosophy Department: Professor, 1992–present, now retired. Previous Positions Bowling Green State University, Adjunct Professor, 2004-09. The Australian National University, Philosophy Program, Research School of Social Sciences: Senior Research Fellow, 1988-92; Senior Fellow, 1992. University of Western Australia, Philosophy Department: Professor, 1983-88; Head of Department, 1985-88. University of Miami, Philosophy Department: Associate Professor, 1981-82; Professor, 1982-83. 2 Wichita State University, Philosophy Department: Visiting Associate Professor, 1980-81.