PHI 1102 Lecture 16: Animal Rights I
11 Jul 2016
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Classical utilitarianism (jeremy bentham) - all pleasures and pains are equal, and all units capable of experiencing pleasure / pain are in principle equal. Equal rights to moral consideration regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation. Equal rights regardless of species (animal liberation) as logical next step. What counts for entitlement to moral consideration is sentience (capacity for suffering/ happiness, pain/pleasure) (bentham) Right not to suffer, at least, does not depend on species. Equality arguments about moral consideration for gender, race, ability, etc. could not and should not be based on factual equality. Factual equality in some respects is morally irrelevant. How abilities can make a difference to rights and duties: you don"t need a right you can"t use if you don"t have the relevant abilities (e. g. animals and voting, formal education. ) !1: you cannot have a duty that you are not capable of ful lling (animals that are not capable of responding to moral considerations cannot have moral duties)
