PHIL 237 Study Guide - Final Guide: Eating Animals, Animal Slaughter, Speciesism
21 Apr 2015
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
A liberation movement demands an expansion of our moral horizons and an extension or reinterpretation of the basic moral principle of equality. Peter singer urges that we extend to other species the basic principle of equality that most of us recognize should be extended to all members of our own species. Can be said that men and women are similar beings and should have equal rights, while humans and nonhumans are different and should note have equal rights. The basic principle of equality, i shall argue, is equality of consideration; and equal consideration for different beings may lead to different treatment and different rights . In short, if the demand for equality were based on the actual equality of all human beings, we would have to stop demanding equality. Humans differ as individuals, rather than races or sexes. Equality is a moral idea, not a simple assertion of facts. The capacity for suffering is a prerequisite for rights.
