Animals are a vital part of our society, we keep them as pets, as service animals, Illicit-substance detection dogs, police K-9’s, and perhaps most disputedly; farm animals. The question of whether or not animals have rights is an issue that has been heavily debated recently but has been considered for a long time. The issue seems gain popularity at every turn. In taking a closer look at the issue of whether or not animals have rights, we will be able to answer the question of whether or not it is morally acceptable to use animals in the way we do now. I would also like to begin by pointing out that I am someone who identifies as an “animals lover” but do not agree that it is morally unacceptable to use animals for vital purposes such as food,
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Tom is an American philosopher who focuses on the issue of animal rights and believes strongly that animals should indeed have rights. He calls for three things specifically in his book The Case for Animal Rights; “the total abolition of the use of animals in science, the total dissolution of the commercial animal agriculture, and the total elimination of commercial and sport hunting and trapping” (Regan). Reagan 's main argument for animal rights are that they are sentient beings which is shown by their ability to interact with their environment. He believes that because they are sentient they have inherent value, and thus should be treated as an ends, not a means. The fundamental issue with Regan’s argument is that it’s sentient value that gives them rights but sentient value alone should not be enough to give something rights. If sentience or inherent value alone is enough, then almost everything in the environment and nature should have rights. The definition of sentient is to be able to perceive or feel things, and this is something that most things in nature are able to do. They interact and depend on each other to survive. Another issue with Regan 's argument is that if we do follow this way of thinking, where do we draw the line. Surely ants and roaches have some inherent value and are sentient beings. It is described in the article On Smushing Bugs by Tim Kreider when he says that aunts certainly look conscious as they scramble away from his thumb that is coming down upon them. The same goes for a cow or a pig, they understand that they may be in danger but do they really understand what that means. In other words, they are engaged in conscious activities, but are not conscious of them. They do not think about their emotions or things going on around them but they are able to react to danger presented to them. The same goes for ants and other insects, they know
Tom is an American philosopher who focuses on the issue of animal rights and believes strongly that animals should indeed have rights. He calls for three things specifically in his book The Case for Animal Rights; “the total abolition of the use of animals in science, the total dissolution of the commercial animal agriculture, and the total elimination of commercial and sport hunting and trapping” (Regan). Reagan 's main argument for animal rights are that they are sentient beings which is shown by their ability to interact with their environment. He believes that because they are sentient they have inherent value, and thus should be treated as an ends, not a means. The fundamental issue with Regan’s argument is that it’s sentient value that gives them rights but sentient value alone should not be enough to give something rights. If sentience or inherent value alone is enough, then almost everything in the environment and nature should have rights. The definition of sentient is to be able to perceive or feel things, and this is something that most things in nature are able to do. They interact and depend on each other to survive. Another issue with Regan 's argument is that if we do follow this way of thinking, where do we draw the line. Surely ants and roaches have some inherent value and are sentient beings. It is described in the article On Smushing Bugs by Tim Kreider when he says that aunts certainly look conscious as they scramble away from his thumb that is coming down upon them. The same goes for a cow or a pig, they understand that they may be in danger but do they really understand what that means. In other words, they are engaged in conscious activities, but are not conscious of them. They do not think about their emotions or things going on around them but they are able to react to danger presented to them. The same goes for ants and other insects, they know