Animal Rights Vs Posthumanism

As we humans continue to grow in both numbers and intelligence, we start to claim domination and appear superior over other creatures. Not only we breed livestock for food in horrible conditions and find ways to make livestock as profitable as possible, we also use them for more than food such as biomedical experimentation and cosmetic testing. Even though the treatments are so devastatingly inhumane that many people have an unwillingness to cause animals suffering, people still hold different views on the issue of animal rights. Humanism, a system of thought that tends to put the needs of human beings first, suggests that animals do not reason the same way as human. On the other hand, posthumanism argues that human should not have privilege over animals because they can actually empathize, cooperate, and form reciprocal relationships. While humanism assumes humans are superior and values animals for human-centered reasons, posthumanism emphasizes a change in our understanding of the self and believes animals are just the diminished version of humans. …show more content…
People who believe in humanism think that humans are the only forms of life who are capable of reason. They view that human beings are morally distinct from all other creatures because human can reason, make our own considered moral decisions and judgments, and also have the ability to communicate in languages. Therefore, they claim that we should be distinguished from animals because they believe animals would respond only by sensory stimuli and feelings. Since they believe animals are irrational and are outside the moral universe, it is reasonable and acceptable for us to use them when it conflicts with human interests. As a result, the idea of humanism often leads to an opposition of animal