Animal Rights Flashcards
What is the issue of Animal Rights?
Towards the end of the nineteenth century, Henry Salt introduced the term ‘animal rights’ when he wrote a book of that name. Since then many charities and organisations have been set up to safeguard the rights that we now believe animals should have.
Explain the views of those in favour of animal rights.
Many would claim that all living things have intrinsic value and should be protected from cruelty. Not giving moral status to animals has been referred to as ‘speciesism’ by Ryder. Peter Singer furthered this by claiming that because animals are sentient beings, their interests must be taken into consideration.
Explain the absolute dismissal argument.
Refers to the traditionally held view that animals do not have any ethical significance. Aristotle claimed that animals do not have the ability to reason and that “brute beasts exist for the sake of men”.
Explain the pragmatic dismissal argument.
The absolute dismissal argument is problematic in that it can be used to justify animal suffering on a grand scale. The pragmatic dismissal argument promotes the idea that, while animals are not considered to be Iin any way equal to humans, they deserve to be treated with a degree of respect.
Explain the views of Andrew Linzey.
The Anglican priest and theologian is commonly associated with the Christian movement for animal rights. He argued that animals are as much a part of God’s creation as humans are. Regarding experimentation on animals he makes three conclusions; animals are not things, animals are not instrumental to humans and animals are not to be sacrificed for humans.
