Ethics And Ethics: The Ethical Dilemma Of Animal Rights

Register to read the introduction… This is due to the fact that a life is at stake and we, as humans, must decide if we are justified to take that life, while in the process inflicting suffering, in order to benefit society as a whole. We must almost play God, in a sense, in deciding which animal lives are expendable and which are valuable enough to allow to remain living. This ethical dilemma almost assigns a value to life. The debate over animal rights asks if it is worth killing innocent animals in order to benefit such items as education, material production or human medicine. Looking at this argument, one might say that humans are greedy and disrespectful of God's creation. But, are we supposed to try experimental medicines and surgical procedures on humans and risk their death? Or is it better to educate students about anatomy and physiology through the sacrifice of animals? Ethically, does the end justify the means? David Lee Miller argues that for us to engage in a strictly ethical conversation on the topic of animal rights, "we would do well to suspend our individual material interests in the outcome of the discussion" (Miller 3). I agree with Miller here that to speak of the determination of animal rights on an ethical level, which is where it should be, we certainly cannot be concerned with how nice it would be to have a full-length mink coat …show more content…
Also, gave a few ideas about both pros and cons of rights

Regan, Tom. The Case for Animal Rights. University of California Press. Berkeley, Los Angeles. 1983. -Since Regan is very pro-rights, his book helped with that part of the paper.
Rodd, Rosemary. Biology, Ethics, and Animals. Oxford University Press. New York, New York. 1990.
-Helped with the ethical aspect of the paper (part b). Also contains values of animals and humans.

Rollin, Bernard E. Animal Rights and Human Morality. Prometheus Books. Buffalo, New York. 1981. -Contained aspect of the soul and relates theories of Kant (very helpful!)
Smart, J.J.C.; Williams, Bernard. Utilitarianism: for and against. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge. 1973. -Used to develop strength and weaknesses of mill's ideas

Smith, Norman K. Immanuel Kant's Critique of Pure Reason. The Humanities Press. New York, New York. 1933. -This text was used sparingly to develop Kant's understanding of reason.

Sorabji, Richard. Animal Minds and Human Morals: The Origins of the Western Debate. Cornell University Press. Ithaca, New York. 1993. -Goes through and evaluates aspects of humans and compares them to