Intro to Animal Ethics

What is ethical skepticism?

the denial of objective moral truths

What are the three positions on animals having moral standing?

Animals have:

1. No moral status - we owe them no duties

2. Instrumental value - owe indirect duties to them

3. Intrinsic value - owe direct duties to them

What does sentience mean?

Capacity to have feelings

What does being a moral patient mean?

Having moral status

What are the two strategies that justify animals being sentient?

1. Inferential

2. Non-inferential

What is the inferential argument of animals having sentience?

Infer based on behavior and neural similarities

What is the non-inferential argument of animals having sentience?

Knowledge of consciousness based on interactions with animals

What are the two strategies to justify animals are not sentient?

1. Behavior comparison

2. Higher order definition of consciousness

What is the behavioral comparison of animals not having sentience?

“Animals are machines”

What is the higher order definition of consciousness view of animals not having sentience?

Humans have phenomenal consciousness (experiencing things) and animals don’t

What is the socio-zoological scale?

Hierarchy of animals

What are the competing views for animal ethics?

Contractarianism, utilitarianism, animal rights (deontology)

What is contractarianism?

All of our duties and rights come from the contracts we enter into between people; animals cannot make agreements therefore we have no direct duties to them

What is utilitarianism?

All sentient beings deserve equal consideration

What is the consequentialist theory?

Consider welfare consequences for animals and humans

What are some problems with utilitarianism?

there is no way to know the ‘net welfare’ & doesn’t respect the moral value of each individual

What is deontology?

animals have inherent value, like humans

What is the purpose of deontology with animals?

Animals have inherit rights, cannot use them for anything