Speciesism Peter Singer Summary

At the beginning of the essay, the writer Peter Singer introduces a form, speciesism, which means the “attitude of bias toward the interests of members of one’s own species and against those of members of other species”(204). Singer raises the largest problem which is most people are speciesists, who do not propose the principle of equal consideration of interests to other species as well as their own. He compares it with sexism and racism in order to show they apply equally. Singer agrees with Bentham’s statement that the capacity for suffering and enjoyment is the prerequisite for having all interests. The limit of sentience of animals is the only defensible boundary of concern for the interests of others. In that case, animals are being sacrificed to human’s need in various ways. The author gives specific examples of sacrifice of different animals. …show more content…
In order to make the animals more productive, human treats them like machines, limiting them in unsuitable conditions and even cutting off young birds’ beaks. Secondly, Singer mentions that human object to cruelty to dogs when they are being cruel to pigs and calves by confining them in stress and boredom, which is quite pathetic. Thirdly, animals are used to test vital medical theory. In those cases, they are easily getting sick and even being killed. Finally, the laboratories in the universities also torture dogs in order to get psychology results. Singer wants people to realize the damage of speciesism on animals and then stop those practices. He appeals us to take action to help change those animals’ ways of living, no longer being cruel or