Peter Singer An Animal's Place

There is no doubting the fact that animals do not have rights in the conventional sense, or in any other sense for that matter. The reason is because they are not moral agents; they cannot do things out of a sense of right or wrong and cannot reason, as opposed to humans. Without reasoning, they are unable to have rights and therefore, are not responsible. Does that mean humans have the right to treat animals badly? Of course not; but that is for humans to decide, because animals cannot decide anything. In "An Animal's Place," Michael Pollan introduces Peter Singer's argument, which is simple, and difficult to argue against. Based on equality, every one realizes that people are not equal at all: "Some are smarter than others, better looking, …show more content…
Some Defenses of meat eating and responses that Pollan considers; animals on farms never know any other life, that their instincts are frustrated (to exercise, stretch limbs and wings, turn around) even if never had chance to do these things. "They do it too" defense of meat eating (animals eat animals). Opponents also point to the natural hierarchy when attempting to refute vegetarianism's ideology, claiming that man is naturally on top of the food chain and that animals would be just as susceptible to predators in the wild as they are on a farm, if not more so. Pollan argues against this point eloquently: "Do you really want to base your morality on the natural order? Murder and rape are natural, too. Besides, humans don't need to kill other creatures in order to survive; animals …show more content…
Humans are animals. We are one species in a complex kingdom that includes many other species with central nervous systems designed in much the same way as our own, like their immunological systems, skeletal systems, etc. That is why humans are in the animal kingdom. We share significant similarities in many ways. Why would it surprise us that other species have highly evolved cognitive (mental), learning, timing, communicative and problem-solving abilities or that they experience fear, pain, suffering, joy, boredom and depression? Like it or not, we, in many ways are designed like other animals. Many animal learning literature and studies over the past several decades clearly demonstrates the cognitive, timing, learning and emotional abilities of these other animals [1]. I am always amazed at the great philosophical debates on the suffering capacity and the mental capacities of other species, when the studies to document these capacities date back to Darwin. What we do to other animals should be judged with a full and complete realization and understanding of their abilities and capacities. If we really understood such things, I doubt we would be so quick to put our interests above theirs with no repercussions of