A historical Perspective of Welfare

Question 1

Name the three components that make up welfare

Answer 1

1. Science
2. Ethics
3. Law

Question 2

Which two movements have chiefly influenced the way animals are traditionally thought of?

Answer 2

Religion and philosophy

Question 3

Who were the first people to influence how we thought about animals?

Answer 3

Greek philosophers

Question 4

What did the greek philosopher Aristotle argue?

Answer 4

That animals fall below humans I the natural hierarchy as a result of their inferior reasoning and sense of perception

Question 5

The social climate in Aristole’s time was very different, what other views did he hold which supports this?

Answer 5

Women are inferior to men and some people are better suited than other to be slaves (stronger in body than in mind)

Question 6

What did/do christians believe about animals

Answer 6

God made humans based on his own image but we do have duties towards animals (even through this wasn’t reinforced by official theology)

Question 7

What does Judaism and islam believe about animals?

Answer 7

They are subordinate to humans and their for our use but we should not be cruel and cause unnecessary pain

Question 8

Why did the two Christian philosophers, Augustine and Aquinas, say that we should be kind to animals?

Answer 8

because harming animals also harms their owners and cruelty could lead to cruelty against humans (a very contractarian view)

Question 9

What do the non-western traditions such as jainsim, hinduism and Buddhism believe about animals and why?

Answer 9

They believe all life is scared and harming life will later result in suffering for the person (again self interest)

Question 10

What is the innuit and Native American view?

Answer 10

Nature is animated by spirit but the respectful killing and consumption of animas is accepted

Question 11

What is the view of modern philosophers regarding animals?

Answer 11

Humans are more important

Question 12

What did the modern philosopher Rene Descartes say about animals?

Answer 12

The essence of humanity is found in the mind, spirit or soul. Animals are essentially organic machines which do not feel pain

Question 13

What did the modern philosophers Hobbes, Locke and cant attribute to animals?

Answer 13

They have perception and feelings but they do not have properties such as reason which are necessary for significant moral status

Question 14

What did the modern philosopher Jeremy Bentham believe?

Answer 14

The correct conduct regarding animals is one which maximises pleasure over pain

Question 15

What did the modern philosopher Schopenhauer say regarding animals?

Answer 15

He rejected reason, autonomy, self consciousness and power as determinants of moral status and argued that moral living requires compassion for all beings who can suffer but humans have a greater capacity to suffer because they are highly intelligent

Question 16

In what decade did concern for animals begin to grow?

Answer 16

1800’s

Question 17

When was the RSPCA founded?

Answer 17

1824

Question 18

What was the first law put in place for the protection of animals and when was it passed?

Answer 18

The Ill Treatment of Horses and Cattle Bill, Passed in England in 1822

Question 19

What is significant about the types of animal covered by this bill?

Answer 19

Not all animals were covered and the law only applied to people who did not own the animal (e.g you can harm your own cows but you cant harm anybody else cows)

Question 20

The Ill Treatment of Horses and Cattle Bill is descried as covering ‘wanton cruelty’. What does this mean?

Answer 20

If you have a good enough excuse for cruelty then it is acceptable

Question 21

What was the first comprehensive general law relating to animal cruelty passed?

Answer 21

The Protection of Animals Act 1911

Question 22

What did the The Protection of Animals Act 1911 prohibit?

Answer 22

unnecessary suffering to any domestic or captive animal by acts of commission and omission (so this law also covered neglect)

Question 23

In the 1950’s there was a post war intensification of the livestock industry. When did public concern for the animals being farmed begin to grow?

Answer 23

1960’s

Question 24

Why did intensification occur?

Answer 24

To counter post war food shortages which then turned into a market for the cheapest food

Question 25

How much of their income do consumers now spend on food compared to the 1940’s?

Answer 25

10% now compared to 30% in the 1940’s

Question 26

Name some of the main quality of life concerns associated with the intensification of livestock farming

Answer 26

Keeping animals in close confinement and in barren environments
behavioural restriction genetic selection

Question 27

what has been put in place to improve the quality of life for livestock animals?

Answer 27

Legislation

Question 28

When did the new humane movement take place and what did this mean for production animals?

Answer 28

1960’s and 70’s
civil rights movements and opposition to racial and sexual discrimination in response to growing concern about individual animals

Question 29

What made the study of animal mental states legitimate for the first time?

Answer 29

the birth of cognitive ethology

Question 30

What do animal rights advocates oppose/

Answer 30

the view that animals are here for us to use

Question 31

State the 4 keys steps in the evolution of animal welfare

Answer 31

1. Animals are there for us to use
2. Anti Cruelty
3. Animal Welfare
4. Animals are not for us to use