Ethics - Animal rights

Quote from Bentham on Animal rights?

“The question is not, can they reason? nor, can they talk? but, can they suffer?”

Peter Singer views on Animal rights?

in his 1975 book ‘Animal Liberation’, he believes that humans are guilty of ‘speciesism’ or treating animals as less than ourselves

According to Vardy and Grosch, in ‘Puzzle of Ethics’ what does the moral debate about animals revolve around? (5)

• Animals being bred and killed for food

• Animal experimentation

• Animals used for testing cosmetics

• Breeding and Killing animals for fur or trophies

• Hunting and killing for sport

Arguments against animals being killed for food? (4)

• The conditions and suffering that animals experience are horrendous and does not allow the animal to behave in the way that nature intended

• Its not essential for our survival as we now have products that can provide us with the same nutrients and vitamins that meat does

• Its damaging to the environment

• Anyone who eats and animal but would not eat a human is guilty of ‘speciesism’

Ethical concerns around which religions for ritualistic slaughter?

• islamic ritual slaughter (halal)

• jewish ritual slaughter (kosher)

Quote from Quran on meat eating?

“He only prohibits for you the eating of animals that die themselves, have flowing blood, the meat of pigs'“ 2:173

Why might Islamic ritual slaughter be unethical?

the butcher must cut the jugular vein in the animals neck with a sharp knife and let them bleed out while they are still alive - the animal experiences a great amount of suffering

What countries have banned religious slaughter?

Denmark, holland, Sweden, Norway, and Switzerland

Where in the Torah are food laws explained?

in Leviticus, some foods are declared Kosher, and some Trefah - Jews can only eat animals which have split hoofs and chew cud and also fish that have fins and scales. any bird of prey should not be eating

Why may Jewish ritualistic slaughter be more acceptable?

the Shechita is used to sever the carotid artery, which causes the animal to go unconscious, meaning they are not awake when they die. this is thought to be painless to the animals

Are there any rituals or regulations around killing animals in Christianity?

no

Mark 7:18-19

“Dont you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? for it doesnt of into their heart but their stomach, and then out of the body” (in saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean)

What is vivisection?

Vivisection refers to surgical or painful experiments conducted on living organisms—typically animals with a central nervous system—to study physiological or pathological processes. 

How many experiments on animals a year worldwide?

between 100 and 200 million experiments on animals every year

Number of experiments on animals in the uk?

reducing, less than 3 million per year now

How many of these experiments on rats and mice?

85%

What does the law require of all medicines?

Must be tested on primates before being used on humans

In how many of these experiments do animals receive no anaesthetic?

63%

Why might animal experimentation be good for medicine?

not ethical to use humans, so animals are the next best alternative as they share some of our DNA.

What did the royal society argue about animal experimentation?

virtually every medical achievement in the 20th century was possible because animals were used in some way

Arguments that animals wont suffer in experiments?

• on one hand, the law puts safeguards in place so that animas are protected. scientists are held accountable for any pain and suffering that an animal experiences

• on the other hand, some believe animals do not have rights, and believe they do not experience pain and suffering in the same way humans do- they are not self-conscious or autonomous

society campaigning for the retention of animal experiments?

Research Defence Society

Summarised arguments for animal experimentation?

• human health is more important that animal welfare

• most advances in human health have come from research on animals

• the public expects hugh standards of drug safety, and these can only be acheived by experiments on animals

What is the most common argument against animal testing?

the animals are obviously in pain and suffering - it is not acceptable to torture animals

What did Peter Singer say about the benefit to humans of animal experimentation?

“the benefits to humans are either non-existent or uncertain, while the losses to members of other species are certain and real” - practical ethics (1979)

Argument for animals having rights?

Young children are not self-conscious or autonomous and yet we believe they have rights. also work with apes, chimpanzees and gorilla has generated evidence that animals are self-conscious

Group against animal testing?

British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BAUV)

summary of arguments agains animal testing?

• ignoring animal welfare degrades humans and makes the people who experiment on animals subhuman

• Better hygiene and nutrition have more effect in improving human health than animal experimentation

• Tests on animals do not necessarily help because the results are not the same in humans

Human experience for animal cruelty affecting humans?

Moors murders committed by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley. Ian Brady had apparently tortured animals as a child.
Jeffery Dahmer, Son of Sam killer, Luka Magnotta. all tortured animals before moving on to humans