Regan

Question 1

2 approaches to animal ethics

Answer 1

1. Utilitarian consequentialism

2. Deontological RIGHTS

Question 2

Utilitarian consequentialism

Answer 2

an action is right if it maximizes the overall pleasures of all affected. Everyone’s pains and pleasures count! SINGER

Question 3

Deontological RIGHTS

Answer 3

If x has a RIGHT then y has an obligation to not do something to x (take x’s life).
- Actions that violate RIGHTS are wrong IN THEMSELVES. RIGHTS holders cannot be used by others as mere means or resources. REGAN

Question 4

Regan’s Big Challenge

Answer 4

• “The fundamental wrong is the system that allows us to view animals as our resources . .” (106)
• Changing beliefs before you change your habits (107).
• Moral status of animals needs to be directly discussed.
• Extending the concept of respect and dignity. Remember Shue?

Question 5

Regan’s conclusion

Answer 5

Total abolition of animal use in science, agriculture, and commercial hunting.

Question 6

Direct duty views

Answer 6

say that we owe animals duties—we can “wrong them” and “right them.” They matter inherently.

Question 7

Indirect duty views

Answer 7

We owe nothing to animals—we cannot do wrongs to them (107).

Question 8

Any duties that we might have to animals are the result of a direct duties owed to humans.

Answer 8

Examples: pets, farm animals etc.

Question 9

How do you justify this indirect duty view?

Answer 9

One answer: contractarianism (108).

Question 10

Contractarianism

Answer 10

• Morality is a set of rules that individuals voluntarily agree to abide by.
• Those who made the agreements have direct duties to each other. Anyone not part of the contract is not owed direct duties.

Question 11

Problems

Answer 11

• Those outside the “contract” not protected (108).
• Ideal contract views—Rawls’ veil of ignorance—leave out the non-rational humans.
• Contract view might say animals are like children. Get protection only if people have sentimental interests in them (108-109).

Question 12

Cruelty-Kindness Views

Answer 12

• Morally right action is motivated by kindness, wrong action is motivated by cruelty.
• What is Regan’s problem with such views, especially as they pertain to animal ethics? (109).
  The “kind racist.”

Question 13

Utilitarianism

Answer 13

actions are right insofar as they maximize overall happiness

Question 14

Utilitarianism has no room for

Answer 14

the equal moral rights of different individuals because it has no room for their equal inherent value or worth” (110). Assess this claim.

Question 15

Rights View

Answer 15

• Individuals have equal inherent value (111).
• If x has inherent value, then x has value independent of its usefulness to others.
  Intrinsic versus extrinsic value.
• Worthy of respect.

Question 16

Who Gets Inherent Value?

Answer 16

All subjects of a life have equal inherent (intrinsic value)–they cannot be used as means for others’ ends.
What is a “subject-of-a-life?

Question 17

Subjects of a Life (1)

Answer 17

Beliefs, desires, sense of the future, psycho-physical identity over time. Subjects of a life have life that can be made better or worse for them (112).

Question 18

Subjects of a Life (2)

Answer 18

Being a subject of a life is sufficient for having EQUAL INHERENT VALUE=value independent of use for others.

Question 19

Subjects of a Life (3)

Answer 19

Morally obligated to treat individuals with inherent value with RESPECT (e.g., individuals with inherent value have RIGHTS not to be harmed).

Question 20

Why not another source for inherent value?

Answer 20

• Intelligence?: what about marginal humans? ( 112).

- Souls?: maybe they exist, but controversial question to settle who has or does not have one.

Question 21

Where do we draw the line?

Answer 21

Don’t need to know everything that has it in order to know much that does. (112).

Question 22

Don’t need to know everything that has it in order to know much that does. (112).

Answer 22

R affirms this: If a being is a subject of a life, then it has inherent value.
R leaves this uncertain: If a being has inherent value, then it is a subject of a life.

Question 23

Moral agents versus moral patients

Answer 23

Both are subjects of a life.

Both have rights!

Question 24

Agent

Answer 24

can apply impartial moral principles to conduct.

Question 25

Patient

Answer 25

cannot do right or wrong (but right or wrong can be done to them).

Question 26

Final Four Points

Answer 26

• Not antagonistic to the human rights movement.
• Abolitionist approach to current uses of animals
• Philosophy has limits: offers us a vision.
• Philosophy is a disciplined passion.

Question 27

The Mini-ride Principle

Answer 27

Respect each rights holder equally. When we must choose between overriding the rights of the many or the rights of the few, and the harms are comparable, then we should override the rights of the few.

Question 28

The Worse-Off Principle

Answer 28

when we must decide to override the rights of the many or the rights of the few (innocents), and the when the harm faced by the few would make them worse-off than the many, then we ought to override the rights of the MANY.