Animals and Ethics

Third slideshow for a course on Environmental Ethics.

Transcript

1. Animals and Ethics
   Who counts?
   George Matthews
   CC 2017
   

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2. lifeboat ethics
   

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3. lifeboat ethics
   case 1
   There were four sailors stranded in a lifeboat with
   little food and no water. After three weeks, two of
   them killed the weakest among them and the three
   remaining men ate him.
   

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4. lifeboat ethics
   case 1
   There were four sailors stranded in a lifeboat with
   little food and no water. After three weeks, two of
   them killed the weakest among them and the three
   remaining men ate him.
   Should they have been charged with murder?
   

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5. lifeboat ethics
   

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6. lifeboat ethics
   case 2
   

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7. lifeboat ethics
   case 2
   Three sailors and a chimpanzee are stranded in a
   lifeboat with little food and no water. After three
   weeks, two of them kill the chimpanzee and the
   three men eat him.
   

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8. lifeboat ethics
   case 2
   Three sailors and a chimpanzee are stranded in a
   lifeboat with little food and no water. After three
   weeks, two of them kill the chimpanzee and the
   three men eat him.
   Should they be charged with murder?
   

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9. the dogma of difference
   

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10. the dogma of difference
    

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11. the dogma of difference
    We are in charge, they are made for our use.
    

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12. the dogma of difference
    We are in charge, they are made for our use.
    We have souls, they don’t.
    

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13. the dogma of difference
    We are in charge, they are made for our use.
    We have souls, they don’t.
    We are smart, they aren’t.
    

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14. the dogma of difference
    We are in charge, they are made for our use.
    We have souls, they don’t.
    We are smart, they aren’t.
    We have social relations, they don’t.
    

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15. the dilemma of biology
    

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16. the dilemma of biology
    Understanding of animals means . . .
    

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17. the dilemma of biology
    Understanding of animals means . . .
    ! We are all part of one big
    family.
    

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18. the dilemma of biology
    Understanding of animals means . . .
    ! We are all part of one big
    family.
    ! Many animals have
    complex social relations.
    

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19. the dilemma of biology
    Understanding of animals means . . .
    ! We are all part of one big
    family.
    ! Many animals have
    complex social relations.
    ! We identify with them and
    value their companionship.
    

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20. the dilemma of biology
    Understanding of animals means . . .
    ! We are all part of one big
    family.
    ! Many animals have
    complex social relations.
    ! We identify with them and
    value their companionship.
    ! They are useful as lab test
    subjects.
    

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21. the dilemma of biology
    Understanding of animals means . . .
    ! We are all part of one big
    family.
    ! Many animals have
    complex social relations.
    ! We identify with them and
    value their companionship.
    ! They are useful as lab test
    subjects.
    ! They can be forced to work
    for us and entertain us.
    

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22. the dilemma of biology
    Understanding of animals means . . .
    ! We are all part of one big
    family.
    ! Many animals have
    complex social relations.
    ! We identify with them and
    value their companionship.
    ! They are useful as lab test
    subjects.
    ! They can be forced to work
    for us and entertain us.
    ! We can make them
    produce meat and milk
    faster.
    

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23. defending the status quo
    

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24. defending the status quo
    

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25. defending the status quo
    1. We are more powerful than other animals, so what
    we say goes.
    

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26. defending the status quo
    1. We are more powerful than other animals, so what
    we say goes.
    2. We need to use them as we do.
    

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27. defending the status quo
    1. We are more powerful than other animals, so what
    we say goes.
    2. We need to use them as we do.
    3. The benefits of using animals as we do outweigh the
    costs.
    

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28. the case for reform
    

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29. the case for reform
    

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30. the case for reform
    1. We feel sympathy for some animals and it hurts us
    to see them mistreated.
    

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31. the case for reform
    1. We feel sympathy for some animals and it hurts us
    to see them mistreated.
    2. Harming animals causes us to not care enough
    about each other.
    

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32. animal liberation
    

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33. animal liberation
    

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34. animal liberation
    1. Denying that animal suffering counts has no moral
    justification.
    

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35. animal liberation
    1. Denying that animal suffering counts has no moral
    justification.
    2. We cannot consistently deny all other animals rights
    and maintain rights for all humans.
    

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