EPL1

Question 1

Our relationship (and attitude) towards animals is:

Answer 1

• as individuals - dictates how we interact with animals
• as industries & professionals - dictates policies towards animals
• as citizens - dictates our legal framework

Laws tell us how we must interact with animals; industry policies tell us how we should interact with animals, and then ethics derive from our personal values and beliefs about human-animal interactions. Laws, policies, and ethics all inform animal care and management.

Question 2

What is sentience?

Answer 2

The capacity to feel, perceive, or experience subjectively

Question 3

Animals whose welfare we care about: (affective state orientation)

Answer 3

• alive
• conscious
• sentient

Question 4

What is the Sociozoologic scale?

Answer 4

A hierarchy of animals – a moral ‘order’ of animals

Based on several factors:
* How useful the animal is - more useful = higher rank
* How closely we collaborate with the individual animal - companion etc.
* How cute and cuddly the animal is - compared to wild animal
* How harmful the animal can be
* How ‘demonic’ the animal is perceived to be - cultural narratives e.g. wolves

Question 5

What is the ‘Moral status’?

Answer 5

The property of an individual of being worthy of consideration.
An animal might be treated differently depending on its value to us.

Question 6

What is ‘Instrumental value’?

Answer 6

The animal is valuable because of its usefulness to us (i.e., it is an instrument for our use)
E.g. cows - useful for production purposes, as well as animals used for research

Question 7

What is ‘Intrinsic value’?

Answer 7

The animal is valuable in and of itself, it has value as a living being.
E.g. pets and companions, native species

Question 8

What is ‘No value/unwanted’ refer to?

Answer 8

The animal might be a pest or represent an unwanted animal in a management system (e.g., bobby calves

Question 9

What is the quote by Betham that is related to why animals are denied moral rights?

Answer 9

The question is not, Can they reason?, nor, Can they talk? But Can they suffer?” (Bentham 1789)

Question 10

What are the TWO important things that Betham quotes?

Answer 10

1. Argues against suggestions that intelligence and language makes humans morally superior to animals, because:
   * Certain humans (e.g., infants) have lower levels of intelligence and linguistic ability than some animals, therefore - Intelligence and linguistic ability CANNOT be criteria for human superiority
2. Suggests that the capacity to SUFFER confers moral status

Question 11

THREE problems with professionals, who deal with animals, being led by their ‘feelings’ alone:

Answer 11

1. People’s moral feelings are often inconsistent or changeable.
2. Contradictory feelings can lead to double standards, like advocating for animal welfare but buying cheap animal products.
3. To engage in meaningful debate, we must understand others’ views and communicate effectively, not just rely on our own beliefs.