...In his article, “The Case Against Animal Rights”, Carl Cohen makes the explicit claim that humans do not have a moral or ethical responsibility to uphold the rights of animals due to their lack of “moral capability.” I intend to argue that humans, as the highest level of morally autonomous sentient beings, like Cohen recognizes in his article, do, in fact, possess both moral and ethical obligations to recognize animal rights and take appropriate action to ensure their wellbeing. I will make use of statistics and information that displays the imperative need for animal welfare, primarily in relation to modern day agricultural practices, as well as philosophical claims in support of the rights of animals, to counter Cohen’s argument. This is...
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...– Whistleblower, Product Safety vs. Animal Rights Whistleblower 70-85 * Whistleblowing is a new label generated by awareness of ethical conflicts encountered at work. They sound an alarm in the organization that threatens public interest * Whistleblowing has high stakes * Moral conflicts on several levels whether to speak out about abuses or risks or serious neglect * Things to consider? - ARGUMENTS * Is speaking out in fact in the public interest * Does speaking out, outweigh the his responsibilities against his colleagues and institution he works for * If 1 and 2 are valid, what about the fear ot the results * Can be threatened to undergo psychiatric fitness test, declared unfit, fired etc, marked as crazy * Like all dissent, whistleblowing makes public a disagreement with an authority or a majority view. * Dissent, breach of loyalty and accusation. Is there ways to find alternatives in-order not to breach these things? * You could be harming something bigger by being a whistle blower * Most important question, whether the existing avenues for change within the organization have been explored * Whistleblowing should be last alternative because of its destructive side affects, only chose when all other things are considered and rejected. * Does it infringe personal or private matters that we have no right to invade. Animal Rights – 135-164 * 200 million animals were used for scientific purposes ...
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...On the issue of animal rights, Carl Cohen takes on the perspective of a reformist. This means that he accepts animal experimentation and meat eating, but believes that these institutions need to be improved upon. Cohen approaches the issue of animal rights using the ideas of obligations and rights, with not only the reformist perspective, but with the speciesist perspective. The conclusion he draws is that animals do not necessarily have rights just because humans have moral obligations to animals. Cohen comes to this conclusion through an analytical series of rights and obligations. His main argument is the following: (1) Humans do have obligations to animals, (this sets him apart from abolitionists) (2) not every obligation arises from a right, (3) so animals do not necessarily have rights just because humans have obligations to them. Since Cohen first mentions obligations, we will look at his analytical approach towards obligations. He admits that rights do in fact entail obligations, but states that obligations do not entail rights. “Obligations arise from commitments freely made,” (Cohen 350) is the simplest way he words it. He then uses the example of how a host will have the obligation to be courteous and cordial to their guests, but the guest absolutely does not hold the right to demand the host courteousness or cordiality. To then wrap up Cohen’s summary of his ideals of obligations, he states that it is false to believe that every obligation trickles down...
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...Ethical Analysis of News Issue: Animal Rights Clearly define the ethical issue and provide a brief explanation as to why it is important. (4 marks) To many people, the concept of animal rights is absurd and long drawn. However, animal activism has increased in the recent past with formation of such organizations as PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) that seek to incorporate ethics when addressing issues related to animals (Joyce 2014, par. 1). Apparently, animal rights activists argue that animals too have rights as is with human beings. Their arguments are anchored in the premise that there should ethical rules that guide our treatment of animals. This implies that human beings have no permission to do some of the things on an animal notwithstanding the situation (Bekoff 2009, p. 14). In fact, the animal rights advocacy groups agitate for legislation of non-negotiable prohibition of animal mistreatment. However, there is a growing concern about the specific rights that animals given the fact that majority of definitions have not actually outlined the rights. The issue of animal rights is important especially in the wake of public policies that are informed by the arguments of animal ethics. Just recently, Australia and New Zealand had to cut their exports of animals to Pakistan given the brutality and cruelty that the animals suffered when being slaughtered (Joyce 2014, par. 6). For majority of the activists, animals have intrinsic value and should...
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...I will argue that the rights of humans supersede the rights of animals for the benefit of man and animals themselves. It is my belief that by granting animals to many rights we would not only be putting human lives in jeopardy but we would also be doing harm to the animals themselves. The way by which we can help animals in the most humane way is to have obligations towards them which is not the same as granting them rights. In this essay I will present the arguments of writers, thinkers and philosophers to give the reader background and knowledge on many of the topics and ideas I will be speaking about. In addition I will provide real life examples of why granting animals too many rights is harmful to both animals and humans. To do this I will first go over and analyze the arguments laid out by Carl Cohen who is opposed to animal rights. I will then discuss the arguments presented by Tom Regan. After this I will present my own opinion based on their arguments and the writings of others. Animal rights is the idea that some or all nonhuman animals are entitled to the possession of their own lives, and that their most basic interests – such as an interest in not suffering – should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings. Advocatess, such as Peter Singer oppose the assignment of moral value and fundamental protections on the basis of species membership alone – an idea known as speciesism. Peter singer argues that speciesism is a prejudice similar...
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...present opposing sides of the argument surrounding that topic. o Animal experimentation o Outsourcing o Media violence • Answer the following questions in paragraphs of approximately 100 words demonstrating your critical and creative thinking skills. 1. Identify if the topic you chose, as presented by both articles, is a problem or an issue and explain what makes it a problem or an issue. If you believe the articles present both problems and issues, identify and explain what the problems are and what the issues are. The problem is, in order to have medication which is safe for human consumption, it needs to be tested. When the testing needed is based on the use of animals, it becomes an issue because many individuals believe that the research is implacable, barbarous, expensive, and erroneous. It is also argued that it is not necessary and that more emphasis should be put on medical prevention. Supporters of animal research believe that we would not have the medical advances in treatment and medication that we do, were it not for the experiments done on animals and that it is key to preventing disease, . 2. Were the problems or issues expressed effectively? Describe how the problems or issues were or were not best expressed. I believe that both articles effectively expressed the reasons for and against animal experiments for medical purposes. Animal Experimentation Is Vital for Medical Research explains the role which animal research plays in the medical...
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...[Professor Name] [Course Number] [Date] Scientists say animal testing is unethical and should be prohibited A good or sound argument makes a claim and offers reasons and evidence in support of that claim. It also anticipates opposing viewpoints and acknowledges, accommodates, and/or refutes them. Think about your audience and what you feel they need to hear, the subject you feel is of greatest concern to your audience, and discover what most affects your audience. You will begin this assignment by thinking of three topics. I and your classmates will help you choose the strongest of those. You will need to consider the assignment, but you will also need to recognize this is not an “issue” paper. You will need to consult the Taboo List. From the point of topic selection, you research will begin. I will be giving you some sp We will be covering the many components of argument in upcoming meetings. Argument is a big subject, and we will be taking our time covering elements of proof, logic, fallacies, and counter argument. Document Type: Argumentative essay Style: MLA Actual Order Pages: 3 References: 6 Academic Level: Masters Subject Type: English Language: US English Line Spacing: Double (Standard) Font Face: Times New Roman Word Count: 825 Sources / References: 1- Two books- Salem Press, EBSCOhost eBooks or Google Books, etc. 2- Two online sources- Google Scholar, JSTOR, EBSCOhost or government sources (Census Bureau, Centers for Disease Control...
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...Animal Equality: Effects of Giving Animals Rights PHI 103 Informal Logic June 2, 2014 Argument When it comes to animal equality it can be hard to imagine a dog, cat, or even a hamster of having equivalence. When I think of animals, I picture our pets, wild animals, and even those in which are consumed. The question of what is and what is not ethically appropriate in the treatment of animals has is debatable. Peter Singer’s provides a utilitarian arguments for why animals with a certain level of perceptive justify equal moral attention with humans. Introduction Singer calls for the establishment of a “liberation movement” comparable to those that remained emerging up throughout the dated in which he wrote his essay and attentive on such problems as gay, women’s and African-American rights. Noting how previously “legitimate” forms of judgment and prejudice, over time, correctly came to be observed as unfairly and immorally damaging towards definite classes of people, Singer argues that the time has come for a similar pledge to the rights of species that walk on four legs instead of two. The animal liberation movement, which was essentially begun by Singer’s book, Slate.com (2001) argues “It is ethically wrong to use animals in such a way that we cause them suffering, either by deprivation of essential components of a happy existence, or by causing them pain.” (Slate.com, 2001) The animal liberationists would like to disallow most medical experimentation using animal...
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...punishment, or even animal rights, this question is posed to create a line; on opposite sides of this line lay the differences between “persons” and “not persons.” However, it is not practical, nor is it possible to have one unified definition that defends or refutes any of these points. It is important to note that although this question can be answered for individual points, it is not a question that can be answered with the same boundaries for all points collectively. Although a case by case basis can be given, a unified answer lies in the fact that the all points can collectively be answered ethically. As defined by Mary Warren in her argument that abortion is an ethically acceptable action, a person is a being that fulfills five characteristics: consciousness, reasoning, motivation, capacity to communicate, and the concept of self (the ability to see oneself as an entity). She concedes that there are cases in which a person may be considered a person if that being has several of these characteristics, but also states that in these marginal cases, the greatest benefit to society is that personhood is defined to ethically condone the most moral actions. For example, in the case of a mentally retarded human being who most likely has consciousness, motivation, and communication skills, that person should be considered a person as this person has lived and has the capacity to do so. In the case of abortion, another marginal case, she argues that the right of the mother supersedes...
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...Animal Rights vs. Animal Welfare In the first half of the 20th century, standards for the care of livestock, lab animals, and pets began to improve. Animal ‘rights’ were the rights of animals to shelter, food, and water. There was a pronounced emphasis on improving the quality of life of the animals used by humans, but not on eliminating their use for humans altogether. However, for the last 50 years or so there has been a huge argument over the roles of animals in today’s society, specifically over how we use them for our benefit. There are major differences between the welfare and rights arguments. Animal welfare is fundamentally different from animal rights because it endorses the responsible use of animals in order to fulfill some human...
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...All Animals Are Equal PHI103 I chose to do my argument over “All Animals Are Equal” by P. Singer. After reading this argument I have concluded that it is trying to take serious discrimination issues with humans and comparing them to discrimination issues with nonhumans (animals). The information begins by talking about all the discrimination issues we have faced and are facing as a country and how we have began to fight for equality. It states “We became familiar with liberation moverments for Spanish-Americans, gay people, and a variety of other minorities” (P. Singer, 1989). Liberation movements changed the way society viewed discrimination and how we equally treat “minorities.” A liberation movement demands an expansion of our moral horizons and an extension or reinterpretation of the basic moral principle of equality. And it’s sad to say, but if we wish to avoid being numbered amongst the oppressors, we must be prepared to re-think even our most fundamental attitudes. As P. Singer states, “I am urging that we extend to other species (animals) the basic principle of equality that most of us recognize should be extended to all members of our own species” (1989). Singer then focus’ on women’s rights and how fighting for women’s rights isn’t sound. He goes on to make the claim “if women’s rights are sound when applied to women, why should the argument not be applied to dogs, cats, and horses?” (P. Singer, 1989). One way which we might reply to this argument is...
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...NONHUMAN ANIMALS ETHICALLY APPLIED TO CARL SAFINA’S DISCUSSION ON VARIOUS NONHUMAN ANIMALS In this paper, I intend to explain Martha Nussbaum’s capabilities theory for treating nonhuman animals ethically, then apply this theory to Carl Safina’s discussion of various nonhuman animals in his book Beyond Words, How Animals Think and Feel. Martha Nussbaum is an American Philosopher, who focused on philosophy in the field of moral theories. She is a distinguished Professor of Law and Ethics at the University of Chicago. Her interests include the ancient Greek, ethics, political philosophy, Roman philosophy, feminism and animal rights. Her works include various books either as an author or an editor. Carl Safina is a philosopher who explored the inner feelings of the animals in his book Beyond Words. This paper will apply Nussbaum's philosophy to the Carl Safina's discussion that demonstrates that animals have feelings, and describes their cognitive nature. Thus, they are aware of the mistreatment, only that they are powerless to resist the abuses. He elaborates the communication abilities of the elephants, whales, and other animals. We, human beings consider ourselves superior to the others, but by various measures, we are the most “frequently irrational, distortional, delusional, worried.” Many people who oppose the harsh treatment of animals cite Martha Nussbaum’s capabilities theory. His approach advocates for the better treatment of animals and recognition of their rights as cognitive...
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...“Men are such pigs. That women is a cow.” This type of commentary is used in our society often. Comparing humans to an animals is a tactic used to diminish the person. This tactic is made under the assumption that humans are superior to animals. An example of that is found in one of our readings by Spiegel in “The Dreaded Comparison”. As it was discussed in class this text was controversial do to the fact that it compared slaves to animals. The reason for its controversy was not because it dealt with the issue of slavery but because people find that comparing someone to an animal is disrespectful. It is found to be disrespectful because animals are viewed as lesser than humans. However, what this text is discussing is the similarity in which animals and slaves were treated and how this concept of speciesism is woven into our culture. African American people were considered to be another species which therefore justified the use of them like any other domesticated species. An example of this is made in the text when the domestication of a horse is compared to the domestication of a slave. The term for training a horse is “to break a horse” and the term for men who domesticated...
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...Animal rights is the idea that some, or all, non-human animals are entitled to the possession of their own lives and that their most basic interests—such as the need to avoid suffering—should be afforded the same consideration as similar interests of human beings.[2] Advocates oppose the assignment of moral value and fundamental protections on the basis of species membership alone—an idea known since 1970 as speciesism, when the term was coined by Richard D. Ryder—arguing that it is a prejudice as irrational as any other.[3] They maintain that animals should no longer be viewed as property or used as food, clothing, research subjects, entertainment, or beasts of burden.[4] Advocates approach the issue from a variety of perspectives. The abolitionist view is that animals have moral rights, which the pursuit of incremental reform may undermine by encouraging human beings to feel comfortable with using them. Gary Francione's abolitionist position promotes ethical veganism. He argues that animal rights groups that pursue welfare concerns, such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), risk making the public feel comfortable about its use of animals. He calls such groups "the new welfarists." PETA argues that Francione's criticism does little to help alleviate the suffering of individual animals and also trivializes the efforts of workers in the field who handle cruelty cases. It also creates divisiveness within the animal liberation movement instead of focusing on...
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...whether or not it is morally right to consume animals. Pollan’s opinion towards consuming animals is quite explicit in the beginning. He started out be seeing no harm in consuming animals, but his opinion started to change after reading Peter Singer’s book, “Animal Liberation”. While reading through the book, Pollan learned that eating animals, wearing animals, experimenting on animals, and killing animals for entertainment are all viewed as “speciesism”. He quotes, “speciesism”- a neologism I had encountered before only in jokes- as a form of discrimination as indefensible as racism or anti-Semitism”. (Pollan 361) Through this quote Pollan is explaining that he had only come across...
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