UW-Rock County
Environmental Ethics
UW-Rock County
Environmental Ethics
Reconsidering Our Moral Obligations
Singer
"A Utilitarian Defense of Animal Liberation"
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Singer's Strategy: to argue that nonhuman animals deserve the
same consideration as humans
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Stephen E. Schmid
UW-Rock County
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Environmental Ethics
In particular, Singer thinks humans ought to extend the
principle of equality to many nonhuman animals
Stephen E. Schmid
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UW-Rock County
Environmental Ethics
Singer Disagrees
Extending-the-Principle-of-Equality-toNonhuman-Animals-Is-Absurd Argument
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2. Humans and nonhuman animals are different.
"The extension of the basic principle of equality from one group
to another does not imply that we must treat both groups in
exactly the same way, or grant exactly the same rights to both
groups." (74)
3. These differences give rise to different rights.
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1. The principle of equality demands that similar beings be granted
the same rights.
4. Therefore, the principle of equality does not extend to
nonhuman animals.
Stephen E. Schmid
3
For example, women and men are different in certain respects.
While we might grant women the right to an abortion, this
does not entail we should or can grant exactly the same right
to men.
Stephen E. Schmid
4
UW-Rock County
Environmental Ethics
UW-Rock County
Environmental Ethics
Why Do We Think That
Racism and Sexism Are Wrong?
Equal Consideration
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"The basic principle of equality...is equality of consideration; and
equal consideration for different beings may lead to different
treatment and different rights." (74)
Stephen E. Schmid
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UW-Rock County
Because there is no factual difference that justifies treating
members of one group differently than another.
Environmental Ethics
This is not to say there are no differences.
This is to say that the differences are not moral differences.
Lack of difference depends on a principle of equality.
Stephen E. Schmid
UW-Rock County
Environmental Ethics
Opposition to Racism and Sexism
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Principle of Equality
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Opposition to racism and sexism should not be based on any
factual equality
1. Differences that exist between individuals of different races
or sexes are differences between individuals, not necessarily
races or sexes
2. Even if differences exist between one group and another,
there is no guarantee that these differences are distributed
equally amongst each member of the respective group
Principle of Equality: A factual difference between people
(difference in intelligence, moral capacity, physical strength,
gender, race, etc.) does not justify a difference in the
consideration given to their needs and interests
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Principle of equality "is a prescription of how we should treat
humans"
Bentham: interests of every being given equal measure
What interests make a moral difference?
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Whatever differences exist may not have a genetic basis,
but may be environmental/social
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Equality does not depend on intelligence, moral capacity,
physical strength, or other matters of fact
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Stephen E. Schmid
6
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"Equality" expresses "moral consideration"
Same "moral consideration" should be given to those with like
"interests"
Stephen E. Schmid
8
UW-Rock County
Environmental Ethics
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1. "If a being suffers there can be no moral justification for
refusing to take that suffering into consideration."
The capacity for suffering and/or enjoyment or happiness grants
one the right to equal consideration
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2. "If a being is not capable of suffering, or of experiencing
enjoyment or happiness, there is nothing to be taken into
account."
"If a being suffers there can be no moral justification for
refusing to take that suffering into consideration." (77)
If one is not capable of suffering or experiencing happiness, then
there's nothing to be taken into account
Stephen E. Schmid
3. "This is why the limit of sentience...is the only defensible
boundary of concern for the interests of others." (77)
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UW-Rock County
Environmental Ethics
Stephen E. Schmid
UW-Rock County
10
Environmental Ethics
Argument Against Unequal Treatment of
Animals and Humans
Speciesism
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Environmental Ethics
Argument for Equal Consideration Depending
on Suffering
What Determines Whether a Being Should Be
Given Equal Consideration?
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UW-Rock County
Speciesism: a prejudice or attitude of bias toward the interests of
members of one's own species and against those member of other
species
1. Some animals and humans are equal with respect to "like
interests"
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Speciesism is analogous to racism and sexism--racism occurs
when one grants greater concern for the interests of one's own
race
2. Killing animals for food, testing, and hunting all treat animals
unequally.
A position is speciest if it makes the boundary of the right-tolife run parallel to the boundary of our own species
4. Killing animals for food, testing, and hunting is wrong.
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Stephen E. Schmid
3. It's wrong to treat beings with equal like interests differently.
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Stephen E. Schmid
12
UW-Rock County
Environmental Ethics
UW-Rock County
Environmental Ethics
Lowest Common Denominator
Testing Infants & Cognitively Damaged
Humans
1. We ought to test subjects which experience less pain.
2. Testing adult humans brings about more psychological and physical pain than
testing animals.
3. We ought to to test animals rather than humans.
4. But, cognitively damaged humans and infants don't suffer psychological pain.
5. So, cognitively damaged humans and infants will suffer no more than animals.
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Claiming that all humans are equal demands an appeal to the
characteristics that all humans possess in virtue of which they are
to be considered equal
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But, this "lowest common denominator" will not only cover all
humans but also many nonhumans
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6. Thus, we are justified in preferring animals, infants, and cognitively damaged
humans to normal adult humans in testing.
7. But, we think it is wrong to test infants and cognitively damaged humans.
"it turns out that in the only sense in which we can truly say,
as an assertion of fact, that all humans are equal, at least some
members of other species are also equal—equal, that is, to
each other and to humans." (79)
8. Therefore, we have speciest inclinations to protect members of our own
species.
Stephen E. Schmid
13
UW-Rock County
Environmental Ethics
Utilitarianism's Two Moral Tenets
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Equality: every moral being’s interests count the same as every
other moral being’s interests
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Utility: the right action is that action which maximizes happiness
for those whose interests are affected
1. Morality consists in maximizing happiness of all those whose
interests are affected.
2. Both human and nonhuman animals’ interests are affected by
the outcomes of some actions.
3. So, morality consists of maximizing the happiness of human and
nonhuman animals when those interests are affected.
Stephen E. Schmid
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Stephen E. Schmid
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