PHI445 Wk4 Discussions Perdue Farms
Can we utilize them as mere means to an end (for entertainment, companionship, or food)? I think every single day we are personally connected with animals. We eat animals for food, wear animal skins for clothes, own animals as pets, use animals for recreation, and experiment on animals to test drugs and consumer products. We are aware of this, yet we naturally give little thought to the overwhelming number of animals that we use in these ways, and what the animals themselves might be suffering as we use them for our purposes. While no non-human animal on this planet has the cultured rational abilities that we do, many, however, have mental capacities that enable them to experience pain, suffering, and anxiety
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Most of the animals under this condition will develop illnesses, abnormalities, go insane, or die before they make it to the slaughterhouse (Alfie, 2010). In the U.S., over 10 billion animals are raised and killed each year for food about 9 billion chickens, 250 million turkeys, 100 million pigs, 35 million cows. The vast majority of these are not raised on small family farms but, rather, in the major agricultural facilities called?factory farms, also known as Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). The idea of factory farming originated in the 1920s with the discovery of vitamins A and D. When mixed with feed; farm animals were capable of growing without sunlight or exercise, which enabled them to be raised more efficiently in barns throughout the year (Fieser, 2015). Factory farming is a form of capitalism. Capitalism is an economic system that is privately controlled by owners for profit and self-interest (Fieser, 2015). Many philosophers have proposed the principle of equal consideration of interests, in some form or other, as a primary moral value; but, we shall see in more element shortly, not many of them have documented that this principle applies to members of other species as well as to our own. (Singer, 1989). In today society the consumer is much more interested in knowing how the chickens are raised, what they?ve been eating …show more content…
(2010, November 22). [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/32IDVdgmzKA
Fieser, J. (2015). Introduction to business ethics [Electronic version]. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/
CompassionUSA. (2014, December 3). Chicken factory farmer speaks out [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/YE9l94b3x9U
PerdueChicken. (2014, August 1). Perdue cartoon commercial?Fresh taste [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/jz2jkpN_DGo
Regan, T. (1985). The case for animal rights. In P. Singer (Ed.), In defense of animals (pp. 13-26). Retrieved from http://www.animal-rights-library.com/texts-m/regan03.htm Singer, P. (1989). All animals are equal. In T. Regan & P. Singer (Eds.), Animal rights and human obligations (pp. 148-162). Retrieved from
For many years there has been an ongoing debate on whether or not animals should be given rights, even there own bill of rights. Some who are against the animal bill of rights argue that testing products on animals is important to the safety of humans. Others who want the new bill of rights claim that animals have feelings and that science is treating them inhumanely. Animal activists also add that animals are intelligent beings and are aware of how they are treated. Based on science proving animal activists correct on many of their points, this calls for a new bill of rights, in the United States, especially written for the protection and care of wild and domestic animals.
Human beings are considered to be the greatest creations that were given knowledge, skills and power to rule over the entire planet. However, at the same time, their relationship with other animals and its implications in human civilization cannot be denied. Historically, it is proven that for thousands of years, human beings have developed close contact with animals who were their means of living and at the same time often, great companions. Considering the great significance of animals in the lives of human beings, often their relationships were portrayed in literature by authors. It was meant to help the global community to have a clear understanding of the impact that animals have in the lives of human beings which is very much significant.
On the topic of animal rights, Vicki Hearne and Peter Singer represent opposite ends of a belief spectrum. Singer describes, in numerous articles, that he believes animal rights should focus on if the animal is suffering, and the best option to prevent it is to limit interaction between animals and humans. Specifically, in “Speciesism and Moral Status” Singer compares the intelligence and ability of non-human animals to those with severe cognitive disabilities to establish an outrageous solution to animal belittlement. He uses logos (the appeal to reason) and ethos (the appeal to ethics), to question the current rights in place to appeal to other scholars. Nevertheless, his approach can cause an emotional disconnect to the readers; this apparent in contrast to Hearne’s pathos (the
Philosopher Tom Regan also supports my argument that animals have rights similar to those of humans. Regan argues that the system as a whole needs to change in order for animals rights to be achieved. The reason this system needs to change is because we view animals as a resource and something that is for our taking (Regan, 1). Many of us, myself included, are guilty of having this attitude. I eat meat at almost every meal and when I’m eating it I’m not thinking about the animal's life that was taken, I’m thinking about how good it tastes. The only way we can change this attitude Regan says is “People must change their beliefs before they change their habits.” (Regan, 1). One theory that Regan has to change this attitude that so many of us
Shanks, Niall. “Animal Rights.” Social Issues in America: An Encyclopedia, edited by James Ciment, Sharpe Reference, Armonk, NY, 2013, pp. 159–172. Gale Virtual Reference Library, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=GVRL&sw=w&u=unio34164&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE|CX7037300016&asid=2e6ea3a4956c6381549e4bb988df43d5. Accessed Feb.
Adi Basil Philosophy 234 Theoretical Essay Tom Regan is a strong proponent and advocate of animal rights as told in his writing of, “The Radical Egalitarian Case for Animal Rights”. In his paper, he argues that animals have the same rights as humans. Regan believes the system of the way we act and think of animals is fundamentally flawed. Therefore, the testing on animals and commercial animal agriculture are just a few improperly viewed acts that need to be eliminated. The reform of such acts can be developed through fundamentally realizing that animals are subjects of a life, and have inherent value just as humans.
The idea of animal rights has been around for centuries. Even decades ago, people were taking action for the welfare of animals. Marc Bekoff and Ned Hettinger share this idea all the way back in 1994 when they said that there is evidence that scientist are concerned with animal welfare by acknowledge that they use the guidelines in place to protect animals during research, in order to have their work published (Bekoff 219). Guidelines are the basis for the moral and ethical treatment of animals. Each person may have his or her own standard, but having a standard among the entire population ensures the welfare of the animals. Unfortunately, these standards are not at a level to where the animals are being protected. Many animals in captivity are treated in ways that would shock the average person. Orcas for example, are starved until they do the desired task (Cowperthwaite). This form of operant condition can lead to success, but often leads to resentment and hostility towards the trainers.
For years we have struggled with rights water its humans or nonhumans, and what has rights. Who decides who has rights? There are many organizations that try to help make animal right known such as Friends of Animals, Animal Aid and many more. However, there are still injustices occurring nonhumans. I analyzed three articles to find out what causes nonhuman inequality.“Weighing and Protecting life: Beyond Speciesism, Welfarism, and legalism,” Steven Best will be my first source. Best focuses on the word speciesism, it goes in-depth into why people subconscious label animals as species. On the contrary Richard York, “Humanity and Inhumanity: Toward a Sociology of the Slaughterhouse” has a different point of view. York speaks
Kailee Candia Do Animals Have Rights? With a rise of cruelty free products and plant based diets, we ask the questions should animals have rights? In “ The Case for Animals Rights,” by Tom Regan in which he writes on his beliefs for animal rights. According to Regan the animal rights movement is committed to,” total elimination of: use of animals in scientific experiments commercial animal agriculture, commercial & sport hunting & trapping.” Three views about our treatment of animals that Regan will rejet are, Indirect duty view, Cruelty-kindness view, and Utilitarian view (Singer).
In “The Case for Animal Rights,” Tom Regan emphasizes his philosophy on animal and human equality. After reading further into his work, he illustrates a societal system that belittles animals and their significance to our own existence. Regan conceptualizes that animals won’t have real rights unless we change our beliefs. We need to acknowledge a problem. After identifying the issue, we must recognize that there is a need for change in society. In addition, he also reiterates the importance of the populace changing the way they view animals. The way society views animals will create a snowball effect that will influence politicians to also believe in animal rights.
Most humans might think we are just humans and animals are just there to save us.
While there have been a number of advances in animal protection and law in the last decade - enacting laws and formalizing specific rules for cruelty to show a fall - there are still many cases of animal abuse. This theme is of great importance because animals are entitled to rights, since they are living beings and have physical and emotional sensations similar to human ones. Through the Australian philosopher, Peter Singer, often considered the forerunner of the animal liberation movement, in which he leaves a milestone in the animal defense movement in his book "Animal Liberation" (published in 1973). Thus, this subject is of too much importance, aiming at the improvement of environmental protection laws, especially with regard to animals,
"Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; The Declaration of Independence holds these rights to be self-evident and unalienable. In the eighteenth century when these words were written they were called natural rights, today we call them human rights" (McShea 34). The issue of whether or not to grant animal rights such as those that humans retain, is a greatly disputed issue. Philosophers, clergyman, and politicians have argued the point of animal rights for years, but without success. Animal right is an extremely intricate issue that involves the question of animal intelligence, animal activist groups, and the pros and cons of granting animals their rights. Animals deserves rights just as humans because they have the same abilities that we have. In order for humans to function in daily life with confidence rights must be set in stone for humans to remain secure. Knowing this, animals should have a firm list of law to protect them as they participate in their daily life activities.
We have concluded that mind and body work together as one. In humans, we have a mental experience happen with a biological experience together whether we are conscious of it or not. This has led to recovery from illness, like an optimistic person with cancer or someone to become ill, like an aggressive type-A personality with cardiovascular problems. Our bodies work with the mind in the opposite direction as well. While it cannot be denied that humans display behaviors not seen in nonhuman animals, there is nevertheless theory that suggests that animals are more than simply something uncivilized that needs to be domesticated, eaten, or as a pet.
Animals are capable of complex thoughts just like us. They are not just walking food or cute looking plush toys. They are sentient beings. We interact with them almost every day. So we have several obligations towards them.