Respecting All Animals: There’s No Difference x x
Prof. x x Respecting All Animals: There’s No Difference

The majority of people in this world consider animals just creatures put here on earth to serve a purpose, even more so-most react to their slaughter ,simply with a shrug of the shoulder, unimportant, and more commonly “a way of life” Many consider living conditions that would not be suitable for a person, to be suitable for a living animal. These animals are subjected to heinous conditions and treatment, supposedly for good reason. Of course, it seems to be a common principle amongst certain people to think that animals are not capable of possessing feelings, so maybe this is why the cruelty seems tolerated? As once acknowledged by René Descartes in Understanding Philosophy, regarded animals as “simply physical bodies that lacked minds or souls; thus, animals were similar to organic machines.” (Mosser, 2014, chap. 6.4) I will be analyzing how each of these issues contributes to the unethical and disrespectful treatment of our fellow animals and why we should no longer tolerate it.
First off, the most important thing to point out is the fact that animals are used for many things, in constant disregard for their feelings I might add. Just like the previously mentioned living conditions- animals are subjected to the most inhumane practices that would not ever be suitable for the treatment of people. I suppose this is the exact reasoning behind the experimentation. For example: Many of the beauty products women use contain animal parts as well as they have been tested on these poor, defenseless creatures, deeming it feasible because they have been labeled as not being able to feel. This cannot be tolerated. “It is not merely the act of killing that indicates what we are ready to do to other species in order to gratify our tastes. The suffering we inflict on the animals while they are alive is perhaps an even clearer indication of our speciesism than the fact that we are prepared to kill them.”(Singer, 1989, p.5) This is a sad, yet very true reality. How can one person tell another that an animal is incapable of feeling when research has “indicated that nonhuman animals may do many of the things once regarded as uniquely human, such as make tools, develop plans, grieve, remember, and use language.”(Mosser, 2014, chap 6.4) This presents an inarguable fact that animals are very aware indeed in my opinion, as well as capable of most human acts, including feelings. Additionally, it is important to note that according as cited in (Mosser, 2014) “biologists have demonstrated that human DNA and chimpanzee DNA overlap between 95% and 98%.” (Mosser, chap 6.4) These facts prove crucial in bringing awareness to animal cruelty and the respect of animals as a whole. Furthermore, animals have long been described to be here souly for our livelihood, to do as we want with them. Predominately used as a food source, to prolong our own lives and to contribute to societies markets, more specifically stated, as a way of life. There will always be the argument of whether or not an animal should be subjected to such heinous acts, if it benefits us or if there is simply a line you do not cross. “There are limits to what can be done to them. Such limits are dictated by the fact that our behaviour towards animals can rebound upon our behaviour towards the only true objects of moral concern, namely, other human beings.”(Cavalieri, 2005, para 5) Where is that line? I firmly think that the previous question cannot simply be answered. Aristotle once stated “the other animals [exist] for the good of man, the domestic species both for his service and for his food, and . . . most of the wild ones for the sake of his food and of his supplies of other kinds.” As noted by (Cavalieri, 2005) While I see how this has been a constant argument focal point, as to why we must do what society has deemed appropriate, I fail to see the need and toleration for such animal abuse and the torture they endure.
One of the last things I would like to access is the ever popular act of using animals as entertainment purposes, and I am not talking about considering a pet to be your best friend. More specifically, I would like to point out dog fighting, or any kind of -fighting for money or entertainment purposes- For instance in the case of Michael Vick who was charged in the controversial dog fighting ring he was running. He purposefully condoned and even bullied those animals into fighting to the death, souly for his pleasure. That is just one instance that we are familiar with. There are cultures around the world who engage in the inhumane act of fighting animal to animal as if it were a ritual. “Other countries regularly stage bullfights, which often conclude with a ritualized death of the bull. In the United States some groups object to raising, killing, and skinning animals for fur, whereas others regard such criticism as too sensitive.” (Mosser, 2014, chap 6.4) Who decides which culture though is the right one? I think that is where moral relativism comes to play.
In conclusion, I would like to bring awareness to the initial statement that all forms of animals should be respected, as well as protected. Also, they should not be used as entertainment in the form of violence for others pleasure, nor should we inflict experiments onto them that we would never consider inflicting ourselves, or a “human” we love. There is no boundary when it comes to feelings. All living things are worthy of a life. We shall not take them for granted but yet, nurture and respect them.

References:
Mosser, Kurt. (2014). Understanding Philosophy. Bridgepoint Education, Inc. San Diego, CA. Retrieved from: https://content.ashford.edu/books/AUPHI208.14.1
Singer, P. (1989). All animals are equal. In T. Regan & P. Singer (Eds.), Animal rights and human obligations (pp. 148-162). New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Retrieved from http://www.animal-rights-library.com/texts-m/singer02.pdf Cavalieri, P. (2005). Are human rights human? Logosjournal, 4(2). Retrieved from http://www.logosjournal.com/issue_4.2/cavalieri.htm