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68 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Instrumental Value |
Something is good because it provides the means for acquiring something else of value |
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Ex of instrumental value |
Money |
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Intrinsic Value |
The inherent worth of something, independent of its value to anyone or anything else |
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Ex of intrinsic value |
People |
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If something possesses intrinsic value, this generates a... |
Moral duty/obligation on the part of moral agents to protect or at least refrain from damaging it |
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Moral Agents |
Those capable of moral reflection and choice |
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Are animals moral agents? |
No, they do not have moral reflection and you can't ask them to be nice to other animals |
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3 Ethical Positions and the Moral Status of animals |
1. Human-centric: Descartes, Aquinas 2. Animal Utilitarianism: Peter Singer & Bentham 3. Animal Rights: Tom Regan |
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Descartes believed that |
Thought was the basis of human life and the product of human soul Animals do not use language and therefore incapable of thought |
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Descartes often incorrectly blamed for.. |
View that animals are machines |
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Acquinas believed that.. |
It was wrong to be cruel to animals but the reason has to do with human welfare, not the welfare of the animals themselves
*treating animals poorly is bad bc it can lead to development of treating people poorly |
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Descartes believe that animals are... |
Secular - not rational, do not speak, not human |
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Aquinas believed that animals are... |
Theological - animals are here for us to use, mistreatment bad for how people treat people |
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Basic division in ethical theory |
Consequentialism Non-Consequentialism |
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Consequentialism basis and person |
Utilitarian - Bentham |
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Non-Consequentialism basis and person |
Rights based - Kant |
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Consequentialism |
View that morality of actions or institutions is a function of their consequences |
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How does consequentialism evaluate actions or institution... |
In terms of the effects that flow from it; if consequences are good on the whole, then the action or institution is good |
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What did Bentham say? |
The morally relevant question about animals is not, can they reason or can they talk? But can they suffer?? |
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What does utilitarianism say? |
Theological and secular arguments are irrelevant, all that matters is if the animal is capable of experiencing happiness and unhappiness, pleasure and pain |
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Singer's 4 philosophical principles |
1. Concept of equality 2. Principle of equal consideration of interests 3. Speciesism 4. Sentience is necessary and sufficient for having interests |
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Equality is.. |
A moral idea, not a statement of fact |
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Humans are equal does not mean that they are equal in all capabilities but that they... |
Deserve equal consideration of interests |
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Idea of equal consideration of interests |
Interests of every individual affected by an action counts just as much as the interests of every other individual affected by the action |
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Speciesism |
Prejudice or attitude of bias toward the interest of member of one's own species |
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Speciesism is a major issue for |
Singer |
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Marginal case attempts to demonstrate that.. |
If animals do not have direct moral status, then neither do such human beings as infants, the senile, the severely congnitively disabled and other such "marginal cases" |
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Defence against Marginal Case |
Property of being human Humans are morally relevant property Humans are unique |
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Sentience |
consciousness |
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What is sentience necessary and sufficient for? |
Having Interests
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Necessary VS Sufficient |
Necessary: chair does not have interests because it can not suffer
Sufficient: If a being suffers there can be no moral justification for refusing to take that suffering into consideration |
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3 Strengths of Utilitarianism |
Intuitively plausible (happiness good, pain bad) Action Guiding ( risk/benefit analysis) Impartial (equality) |
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6 Criticisms of Utilitarianism |
1. Is happiness the only thing that matters? 2. Are consequences all that matter? 3. Backward looking reasons 4. Too demanding 5. Personal Relationships 6. Pleausure associated with hideous actions |
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1. Is happiness the only thing that matters? |
The deceptive friend (back stabber - made you happy but not in a morally justified way) |
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2. Are consequences all that matter? -Fundamental point? -example
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To determine if an action is right or wrong, determine the result
ex. Accusing an innocent man to avoid riot |
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3. Backward looking reasons -example? |
Excludes backward looking considerations and only focuses on the future ex. changing plans if something better comes along |
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4. Too Demanding? |
Too hard to live that way (can't give all our possessions to the less fortunate) |
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5. Personal Relationships? |
Immediate family is usually more important than a stranger |
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6. Pleasure associated with hideous acts? |
Wrong to think something can be morally justified because it will die anyway |
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Deontological Principles |
Certain actions we MUST do despite consequences, hardships, or our disinclination to do it |
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Rights based approach (who and what?) |
Kant
Act to treat humanity always as an end and never as a means only |
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Kant view on Animals |
They have intrinsic worth because they are rational agents capable of making their own decisions |
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Kant's: Suffering is no the fundamental wrong rather a... |
Consequence of the fundamental wrong
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What is the fundamental wrong? |
Treating people or animals as a means to an end |
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Tom Regan objected __________, trampling _________rights
Promoted the marginal case argument (promoted interests of being) |
Utilitarianism
Individual
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What do we mean by rights? |
Holder of rights have interests (things they want) |
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Does a holder of a right need to express the right? |
No (ie infants)
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Is there a difference between moral and legal rights? (ex.) |
Legal rights are political Moral rights do not have to do with what the majority wants (ex. captive punishment) |
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Why do humans have moral rights? |
"subject of life criteria" -being that has desires, beliefs, memory, perception, and a sense of the future; an emotional life with feelings of pleasure and pain |
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Regan believed most normal and marginal humans are subjects of life and have moral rights… and animals? |
Have similar characteristics, thus should also have rights |
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Regan differs from singer how? (2) |
1.Not based on sentience (based on rights - suffering is not the fundamental wrong) 2. Recognition of individual rights |
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Regans conclusions? |
Subjects of a life should not be used simply as a means to others' ends -eliminate meat eating, animal research, and hunting |
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Arguments against animal rights? |
Animals can't understand or claim rights (either can babies or infants) If they have rights, should have the right not to be attacked in the wild (no moral agency) |
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Rollin's communitarian approach derived from |
-Production circumstances has frustrated traditional husbandry ethic -New social ethics about animals have emerged about pain and suffering -social expectations |
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Rollin's main features |
the basis for moral respect is telos -> emerging social ethic for animals will demand data related to welfare |
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Telos |
set of activities intrinsic to an individual (usually evolutionarily determined and genetically imprinted) "pigness of the pig" - essential to wellbeing |
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Rollin said, 'to promote welfare of animals we need to raise them in ways that.." |
"respect their natures" |
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Genetic nature of telos |
Set adaptations of an animal as result of evolution, modified through domestication and/or experiences (guide normal development) |
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Telos moral imperative is? |
That we should treat animals in ways that allow them to flourish according to their natures
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Does rollin suggest animals should have the same rights as humans? If no, what is he saying? |
No Animals have natures which are essential to well-being (nothing to do with interests) |
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What does Midgleys Ethics of Care Approach focus on? |
Relationships at the personal level
The natural preference for ones own species does exist (not like resist, which is learnt) |
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Midgley believed animals don't need 'human rights' but rather... |
Treatment that respects their species specific nature |
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Animal agriculture should be based on a _________ _________, meaning... |
Reciprocal Convention
If we use animals, then we have a responsibility to care for their needs |
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Ethics of Care Approach believes, we must ensure husbandry conditions to meet the following... |
Enhance biological functioning Ensure they feel well Promote species specific behaviour |
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Ethics of Care Approach believes, we must encourage human responsibility through |
Level of food animal owners Level of Consumers |
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Practical Implication of the Ethics of Care Approach approach |
-Encourage studies how relationships can improve animal/human wellbeing and productivity -Emphasize empathy with farm staff -Ensure farmers can afford enough staff for right care
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Ethics of Care Approach refects |
People have responsibility to look after certain animals which we form a community with Responsibility rather than rights
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Ethics of Care Approach concerns |
-Not far beyond traditional relationships with animals -Does not include animals not in community -"community" is fluid and precarious -What about pest animals (do they not deserve protection?) |
