Tlotliso Ngqumeya 219083078 Phil 3B Term Essay I hereby declare that all the work presented in the below is entirely my own. Any sources of information, ideas, or words that are not my own have been properly cited and referenced. Date: 29/08/23 Signature: T.H. Ngqumeya In today's expanding world, rapid change and innovation are a vital part of the human experience. This growth is coupled with a growing demand on Earth. This growing pressure on the Earth impacts both the destinies of humans and non-human animals. Factory farming, as a core element of agribusiness, is known for its manipulation of nature for human needs, thus negatively affecting the environment far beyond economic gain. This essay discusses Factory Farming's profound environmental impacts, using Martha Nussbaum's Capabilities Approach (CA) to analyse its effects on animal welfare, the environment, and well-being. I will be discussing the above by first unpacking what the Capabilities Approach by Martha Nussbaum is while also discussing its place in the contemporary world. I will then discuss the effects of Factory Farming on the environment and how those effects have dire domino effects on non-human and human animals. Thereafter, I will discuss the correlation between the CA and the impacts of Factory Farming, including an analysis of the impacts on capabilities as the application of the CA. I will later mention a few counterarguments to Nussbaum’s approach, and then provide a defence of the CA. Understanding the Capabilities Approach (CA) The Capabilities Approach (CA), formulated by Martha Nussbaum and Amartya Sen, initially intended to understand human flourishing. However, Nussbaum extended this framework to non-human animals in her book "Justice for Animals" (2023, pg. 101), allowing us to evaluate the quality of life for all sentient beings. The CA is composed of ten core capabilities (Nussbaum, 2023, pg. 102-103) that aim to determine what a flourishing life for both humans and non-human animals looks like. The most notable aspect of this approach is how it goes against the previous anthropocentric views held by many in regards to nonhuman animals, providing us with the view that both human and non-human animals have intrinsic value (Nussbaum, 2023, pg. 56). The ten capabilities mentioned in the CA are the ability to live, have bodily health, bodily integrity, sense, imagine and thought, possess emotion, be able perform practical reasoning, having affiliations, engage with other species, play, and have some form of control over one’s environment (Nussbaum, 2023, pg. 102103). The first few capabilities speak to basic needs for a being to live, emphasising the need for bodily health, integrity, and adequate sustenance (Nussbaum, 2023, pg. 102-103). The next few capabilities are centered around sentience, emphasising of senses, imagination, emotion, and practical reasoning which are important aspects for a being to have a dignified experience that involve emotional bonds, social interactions, and future planning. (Nussbaum, 2023, pg. 102-103). The last few capabilities emphasise the interdependence between species, prioritising affiliations, play, and some form of control over the environment (Nussbaum, 2023, pg. 102-103). Although, open-ended on some occasions, I believe that Nussbaum's approach is crucial for my perspective regarding factory farming. Her CA, as mentioned above, bridges the gap between human and non-human animals. In the following paragraphs, I will unpack different capabilities that are hindered due to the environmental effects of factory farming. Factory Farming as an Ecological Dilemma Before I begin to discuss the environmental impacts of factory farming practices, given its very sensitive nature, I feel compelled to mention that the direct impact of factory farming on non-human animals is irrefutable. However, as horrific as many of these practices are on non-human animals, this is not the focus of this essay. The aim, instead, is to emphasise how factory farming's dire consequences on the environment a largely disruptive to the complex balance of life present across our planet. This is a cross-species examination that raises awareness about how these practices hinder well-being and capabilities, hopefully inspiring a halt of the practices of factory farming and any of its associations. The term Factory Farming refers to the agricultural practices of mainly animal farming that focus on intensive and fast-paced food production that aims to meet the intensifying demand. Another name for factory farming is Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). Factory farming methods have an array of negative environmental impacts, however, for the purpose of this essay, I will be discussing three main categories namely, habitat & biodiversity loss, pollution & contamination as well as resource depletion and climate change. 1. Habitat and Biodiversity Loss The fast-paced nature and high demand of factory farming requires large amounts of agriculture. This land is either used as pastureland for animals to graze or availed for the planting of large monocultures such as grain, soy, palm oil, etc. that the farmers need to feed the animals being farmed (Fiut & Urbaniak, 2016). Often this means large pieces of forest land being removed. Deforestation is responsible for not only displacing many of the forest animals from their natural habitat but also destroying much of the ecosystems and biodiversity that lived in those lands (Cockshaw, 2021). According to The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, there is an alarming rate of species that are threatened by extinction because of deforestation and ecosystem disruption. For example, it is estimated, that approximately 1,896 (one-third) of all amphibians are threatened by extinction (Steinfeld et al., 2006). While seeming to provide adequate supply to the increasing human dietary demands, this expansion of agriculture destroys many of the ecosystems that support and help to sustain life (Kim, 2021). 2. Pollution and Contamination Within CAFOs, to maximize production, thousands of animals are kept in confined spaces and cages. This is to ensure that one person can overlook thousands of the livestock at a time. As inhumane as this is to the very animals in the farms, the amount of waste that is produced in those compacted spaces give off large amounts of greenhouse gases such as methane, ammonia, etc. These gases are some of the greatest contributors to air pollution (Cockshaw, 2021). Because these animals are kept in these confined spaces, factory farmers are required to make use of antibiotics and forms of genetic modifications (GMOs), to prevent the animals form spreading and catching diseases. However, these antibiotics as well as other elements carried within animal waste seep into water sources, thus contaminating the water with antibiotic-resistant pathogens and heavy metals (Cockshaw, 2021). Lastly, the growth hormones injected into the animals also seep into the water, which not only influences humans but also the biodiversity that lives in the water (Cockshaw, 2021). 3. Resource Depletion and Climate Change. Due to the already high demand for a fast-paced food supply, the practices of factory farming place an equally high demand on natural resources. The produce of livestock has proven to consume considerable and unsustainable amounts of water and land (UNEP, 2002). The water needed to continue to produce enough crops intended to feed livestock in CAFOs perpetuates the already existing water shortages that cripple the world (UNEP, 2002). Furthermore, the vast amounts of land consumed by factory farms coupled with modern agricultural practices often lead to overgrazing and soil degradation. Many lands are left bare and barren due to this which continues to promote loss of biodiversity while also destroying fertile land. Applying the CA to Factory Farming As mentioned above, the Capabilities Approach (CA) allows us to critically examine the environmental impacts that factory farming has on human and non-human animals alike (Nussbaum, 2023). The significant loss of habitat and biodiversity caused by factory farming has impacts on both non-human and human animals (Fiut & Urbaniak, 2016). Both animals are deprived of the capability of senses, imaginative thought as well as the capability to engage with other species caused by a separation from full ecological experiencing. Furthermore, factory farming practices causing deforestation thus habitat loss, rob both human and non-human animals from their capability to adequately have control over their environment. The pollution and contamination of both air and water, coupled with resource depletion and climate change have a direct impact and constriction of all animals’ capability for life as they threaten the continuation of all species. The unavailability of clean and safe water sources and unpolluted air makes it difficult to have the capability of bodily health and integrity as well as the capability to control one’s environment. As mentioned before, depletion of resources and intensification of climate change effects impact the ability to life however they also hinder the capability of both human and non-human animals to exercise any control or agency over their surroundings. All animals are in need of the resources presented by the earth, yet the practices of factory farming diminish those much-needed resources for all. Overall, the many environment impacts that are caused factory farming, most especially climate change, directly threaten the idea of capabilities themselves as it makes it harder for all individuals to flourish in their overall well-being. After having used the CA to scrutinize the environmental impacts of factory farming, we can observe that these impacts threaten and degrade the crucial and fundamental elements that create a flourishing and dignified life for all animals. By working with the framework given by the CA, we can begin to build and refine policies that aim to reverse these dire impacts on both human and non-human animals alike. Critiques of Nussbaum’s Capabilities Approach The Capabilities Approach, much like any philosophical framework, can be scrutinised. Momand's paper, "Nussbaum’s Capabilities Approach and Nonhuman Animals: The Ecological Implications" (2016), brings to awareness the ethical and ecological destruction caused by human intervention in natural processes. Nussbaum's emphasis on "supplanting the natural with the just" is used to justify her approach (Momand, 2016). Nussbaum's approach is commendable in redefining human-animal dynamics, yet it tends toward a simplistic outlook. In Nussbaum’s defence, the CA has provided a stable framework to address many of the troubling ethical considerations we have today. Nussbaum also acknowledges that there are many complexities that exisit in deal with such considerations. Thus, she mentions that we ought to manoeuvre lightly and tentatively and be welcome of adaptation to truly put in place many of the ethical considerations provided by the CA (Nussbaum, 2023). For a better application Nussbaum’s Capabilities Approach, I believe that a ‘so-like-them’ approach can be adopted. This approach not only bridges the gap between non-human animals and humans like the CA but welcomes us into the intricate interplay of the natural world that we so easily turn our backs on. With this approach, we are not simply creatures holding the natural world at arm’s length, but we start to see ourselves as integral parts of a more-than-human ecosystem. In his book "Becoming Animal: An Earthly Cosmology" (2010), David Abram illustrates a philosophical argument that displays the animate world that is our environment. Through connecting with our own animalistic nature and our sensuous, Abram suggests that we can form a strong bond or kinship with the animate natural world around us, bringing forth a harmonious and interconnected experience (Abram, 2010). By acknowledging Abram's approach, we can begin to see that the framework of the CA can be better implemented, by fully separating from the confines of our anthropocentric viewpoints. To better align with Nussbaum's Capabilities Approach, we should adopt a "so-like-them" approach, recognizing ourselves as part of Earth's ecosystems. David Abram's book "Becoming Animal: An Earthly Cosmology" (2010) highlights that our senses are active channels for connecting with the environment's creativity. This perspective helps us see that the Capabilities Approach applies to humans too. Just as Nussbaum's framework aims to benefit various species, the "so-like-them" view encourages us to embrace our own animal nature. By understanding the world through other creatures' perspectives and speaking Earth's language, we bridge the gap between theory and practice. Acknowledging our integral role in ecosystems, as Abram suggests, fosters harmony among all species. To conclude, this essay discussed the complex relationship between the environmental effects of factory farming with the capabilities of both non-human and human animals. As mentioned above, the impacts of factory farming are dire and impact the environment in many ways such as habitat and biodiversity loss, pollution and contamination, resource depletion, and climate change. By using the Capabilities Approach (CA) coined by Martha Nussbaum, I got to adequately scrutinise the previously mentioned environmental impacts caused by factory farming by discussing how each effect constricts or hinders the capabilities of both human and non-human animals. I then considered the critique of Nussbaum’s CA provided by Momand (2016) which criticized Nussbaum’s “supplanting the natural with the just” approach (Momand, 2016). Bibliography Nussbaum, M. C. (2023). Justice for Animals: Our Collective Responsibility. New York: Simon & Schuster. Steinfeld, H., Gerber, P., Wassenaar, T., Castel, V., Rosales, M., & de Haan, C. (2006). Livestock's long shadow: environmental issues and options. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Fiut, I.S. & Urbaniak, Marcin. (2016). Factory farming versus environment and society. The analysis of selected problems. Problemy Ekorozwoju. 11. 143-156. Kim, H. (2021). A Closer Look at Factory Farming's Environmental Impact. Sentient Media. https://sentientmedia.org/factory-farming-environmental-impact/ The Humane League. (2021). Factory Farming and the Environment: Impacts on the Planet. Available at: https://thehumaneleague.org/article/factory-farming-and-theenvironment (Accessed: 20 August 2023). Momand, M. (2016) Nussbaums Capabilities Approach and -University of Central Arkansas. Available at: https://uca.edu/cahss/files/2020/07/2016-12-MomandNussbaum.pdf (Accessed: 24 August 2023). Abram, D. (1996). The Spell of the Sensuous: Perception and Language in a MoreThan-Human World. Vintage Books.
