Intro to Animal Welfare

Question 1

what is ethics

Answer 1

what is good or bad, right or wrong

ethical theory is a branch of moral philosophy

Question 2

what are the branches of ethics

Answer 2

1. personal
2. society
3. professional

Question 3

do animals have moral standing –> position 1 = no

Answer 3

morals only apply to humans

morality inlcudes only those who are rational, stand to gain by acting morally, can agree to act in way which benefit society

animals don’t create moral duties since they are not rational and cannot act morally

Question 4

do animals have moral standing –> position 2 animals have instrumental value

Answer 4

animals have instrumental value

we have indirect duties towards them

value arises though value to humans

unacceptable to beat a dog as you might upset its owner

legislation often concentrates on animals which matter most to humans (animals as property)

Question 5

what is the position that animals have intrinsic value

Answer 5

we have direct duties towards them

capacity to feel (suffer and feel pleasure) is what matters in our duties

unacceptable to beat dog as this would cause the dog to suffer and this matters in itself

Question 6

what is intrinsic moral value

Answer 6

if animals have a mental life and feelings (ex if they can feel pain)

–> interests flow from these feelings (ex. the interest in avoiding pain) –> others are obliged to respect such interests

Question 7

what is sentience

Answer 7

capacity to have feelings

these feelings are perceived states such as sensations or emotions

mental states may be pleasant or unpleasant

Question 8

what are the 2 strategies for defending the view that animals are sentient

Answer 8

1. inferential
2. non-inferential

Question 9

what is inferential

Answer 9

influence from behavioural and neurological similarity and evolutionary continuity

Question 10

what is non-inferential

Answer 10

knowledge of animal consciousness derives directly from our interactions with animals as conscious beings

Question 11

what are 2 strategies to defend the viewpoint that animals are not sentient

Answer 11

1. behavioural comparisons –> animal behaviour automatic ‘animals as machines’
2. higher order definition of consciousness –> phenomenal consciousness (and this conscious perception of feelings) requires the capacity to think about ones own thoughts to have a ‘theory of mind’

Question 12

what is the socio-zoological scale

Answer 12

hierarchy of animals –> moral ordering, based on traditions and prejudices

people rate animals as morally more or less important and therefore more or less worth protecting according to –> how useful, how closely one collaborates with the individual animal, how cute and cuddly, how harmful, how demonic its perceived to be

use as a basis for animal protection can be critized on both scientific and ethical grounds

Question 13

what is contractarianism

Answer 13

why should you act morally? because it is in your self interest –> generalized egoism

when you are obligred to show consideration for others this is really for your own sake

moral rules are conventions which serve the best interest of all members of society

this morality applies only to individuals who are rational, self interested persons, have something to gain from entering into the agreement and are capable of entering into (and keeping) an agreement

Question 14

what is the contractarian view based on

Answer 14

agreement

is that ethical obligations originate in mutual agreements or contracts between people

mutual cooperation is in all of our interests

in cooperating we make agreements (contracts) and it is these agreements that bring ethical obligations into being

non-human animals cannot make agreements (lack understanding and control need to enter a contractual agrrangement)

animals neither create nor have moral duties

morally relevant difference between our relationship to other humans and to animals

Question 15

what do contractarian view animals

Answer 15

animal suffering or killing of animals are not ethical problems –> any form of animal use is acceptable

use of animals may even be ethically desirable if it benefits humans

lack of moral standing of animals does not mean that the way animals are treated is irrelevant

we may have indirect ethical obligations towards animals –> we should care about animal welfare, because consumers demand and we want to sell products

as far as possible one should avoid using cats, dogs, monkeys and other sensitivite species for research, because the general public objects

Question 16

what is utilitarianism

Answer 16

all sentient beings, human and non-human have interests (to enhance their happiness and reduce their suffering)

all interests count morally and deserve equal consideration

impact of one’s actions on all sentient creatures is a matter for moral concern

if a being suffers, there is no moral justification for refusing to take that suffering into consideration

Question 17

what is the utilitarianism viewpoint

Answer 17

all sentient beings, human and non-human have interests (to enhance their happiness and reduce their suffering)

all interests count morally and deserve equal consideration –> impact of one’s actions on all sentient creatures is a matter for moral concern

if a being suffers, there is no moral justification for refusing to take that suffering into consideration

Question 18

what is morality about in the utilitarian view

Answer 18

maximizing human and animal well-being

animals like humans deserve moral consideration

Question 19

what is the consequentialist theory

Answer 19

in deciding what to do we must consider welfare consequences for animals as well as potential benefits for humans (and animals)

activities which have an adverse impact on well being of animals may be justified if all things considered they lead to a net increase in welfare (for humans and other animals)

Question 20

what are the problems with utilitarianism view

Answer 20

only net costs and benefits count

no clear moral distinction between the killing of humans and animals

Question 21

what is net welfare in utilitarianism

Answer 21

how do we make the calculation

can we define benefit

can we predict the outcome

does not respect the moral value of each individual –> treats beings as vessels of welfare

one individual may suffer to benefit another

Question 22

what is deontology

Answer 22

animal rights

unacceptable to treat sentient being as a means to achieve a goal

humans thought to have an intrinsic worth, a dignit –> argue that this should be extended to animals

Question 23

what is the animal rights view

Answer 23

good results cannot justify evil means

defenders of animal rights believe that fixed ethical rules place limits on our treatment of animals –> there are some things that we are not permitted to do to an animal whatever the circumstance

no benefit can justifty the violation of thr rights of an animal –> no reason to look for expected benefits

Question 24

what is the most radical animal rights view

Answer 24

a defender of animal rights may hold that animals have rights just like our human rights

Question 25

what is the moral status sense of animal rights

Answer 25

animals have at least some moral status

animals do not exist soley for human use, so they should be treated well for their own sake

Question 26

what is the equal-consideration sense of animal rights

Answer 26

we must give equal moral weight to humans and animals interest

animal suffering matters as much as human suffering

Question 27

what is the utility-trumping sense of animal rights

Answer 27

like humans, animals have certain vital interests that we must not override even in an effort to maximize benefit for society

Question 28

what are the problems with animal rights

Answer 28

what happens when we cannot respect the rights of all individuals

interests of individuals (or groups) are often opposing or even mutally exclusive (how do we combine respect for rats and mice with protecting human health?)

cannot protect prey without adversely affecting predators