Seems rhetorical, but the fact is animals live through this everyday, without even given the choice. As humans, we establish our authority among all living beings, but for what reasons? Are humans better than all other species? Or is it true that we should hold a precedence over nonhuman animals? The ultimate question then remains, should animals have as much or equal to the same rights as humans? Their are endless arguments for and against this question, and many sub arguments that go hand in hand with each side. In this paper, I will discuss the definition of what animal rights entails and expand on the history that developed it’s meaning. Furthermore, I will thoroughly discuss, reason, and explain each opinion presented by our current society as well as the positions held by previous philosophers. Lastly, I will draw a conclusion to the opinions presented by discussing my personal position on the argument of animal rights.
The concept of animals rights is based on the belief that nonhuman animals have similar interests and rights to those of human beings. It would be considered, not only unlawful, but inhumane to hunt, test, and use humans for medical research. However, we do exactly that to nonhuman animals in hopes of creating a better and safer life for existing humans. Do we do it because human beings, as opposed to nonhuman animals, hold a special place in nature? That human good is the only good? Or is because human individuals hold true to the “top of of food
The starting point of this essay is to establish and lay out an animal rights claim. The point here is not to solely list which specific rights animals have, as that goes beyond the scope of this essay, but to discuss why animals do in fact have a claim to rights, and what this means for humans. The need to understand the intrinsic, or inherent value of animals allows us to see the base from which their claim to rights is derived. Inherent value refers to the idea that animals are valuable in themselves, not in what they provide us. Tom Regan, an animal ethicist, sets out the moral grounding from which we can
For example, humans kill animals that trespass private property, make too much noise or simply for enjoyment. Same consequences follow animals whose meat is known to be enjoyable, have attractive furs or patterns, or are used in experiments for research purposes. Therefore, what makes it right to kill an animal for these various purposes, but makes it wrong when it involves a human? This question can be answered in many ways, depending on what belief system, including religion and education, one believes in. It follows that the most common reason for denying animal rights is that humans are more intelligent than animals, therefore animals do not reason or think like we humans do. It is obvious that there are differences between animals and humans, like the structure of our brains and bodies, but that does not necessarily mean that these differences are not morally relevant. For example, a mentally challenged person does not have the same abilities of an intelligent person, however, that does not make the well-being of this mentally challenged person
It is obvious that humans and non-human animals are different in terms of rational thought, abilities, and capabilities (Wolfe 569). Therefore, it becomes meaningless to talk of rights from a standard set viewpoint. It is like measuring items although the measuring units are different; grams for weight and liters for liquids.
Animal rights are another issue we are facing right now. There are many who believe that they have no rights, others say that they have the same rights as humans and others are in the middle of these two extremes issues. The topic is very complex because if animals have rights which one are those since the only way to protect them is by regulating them on how are they are treated or how can they be used. Animals are used in many ways such as food, medicine, research, cosmetics, cloth and sport among many other ways. Many who believe that the reason animals have no rights is because of the lack perception where they don’t feel or have pain like humans. There is no doubt that animals feel pain or pleasure and just for that reason they have rights, some people say. On the other hand, we cannot compare animals to humans because they are indeed different and for that reason, they cannot have the same rights. For example, animals can’t vote.
As we develop and create new technologies to help aid us in the bright new ambitious world we have set fourth today, we often come across problems. These problems will naturally occur one after the other because of the result that we make progress to fast. One of these popular issues that we have in our society is the constant debate over animal rights. In order for us to create ground breaking science and medicine we must believe it is acceptable to experiment and potentially harm animals as long as they advance the quality of human life. Ignoring animal rights can create better advancements in medicine, and variations of food. However, we can’t ignore the constant slaughter of animals which are not humane for no reason, this is something
If you had the choice to live or die which would you choose? If you had the alternative to live in a cage or in a house which would you select? If you had the option to have experiments that caused you pain preformed on you would you? The truth is that most of use would rather live, reside in a house and would not be a part of an experiment that caused us pain. However, most people accept the elements of the above conditions for non-human animals. Non-human animals should not be a part of destruction, pain, incarceration and underprivileged conditions that are caused by humans.
We eat meat, we use woollen clothes. Sometimes we buy pets, such as-cat, puppy, bird etc. as our hobby. Zoo was our favourite place when we were child. We pass our time watching various types of animals in National Geography channel. After all these, we never give our attention to what impact they have for our activities. There is always a question about ‘’animal rights’’. Though both human and animal are the creation of God, human being never faces that much argument about having rights but animal does. After studying on this topic, I understood that Most of the argument goes against having animal rights. There are less right preserved for non-human being in environmental ethics.
“It is an important task of political philosophy not just to describe the features of an ideal political society in order to act as a beacon of travel, but also to light the paths we can take to reach it.” Animal rights has been a popular topic of discussion for years. Despite research, debates, and activist groups, humans still have not come to a consensus on what can truly help our non-human friends. As a result, most people have decided to look the other way and animals are suffering because of the peoples’ lack of involvement. This article was a great discovery, because I really enjoyed the author’s style, it provided a fresh approach to the topic, and the information was organized
One of the reasons animals should have certain rights are; animals have a wide range of emotions and have self-awareness, which is contrary to our preconceived notions that animals live only in the moment, have no sense of their own self, lack morals, and do not suffer as human do. Animals consciously know that they exist. They plan their lives, to some extent, and the quality and length of their lives matter to them. Animals know what is happening to them and feel pain as humans do. They prefer some things to others, and have dislikes; this was thought to be an unique human trait. Animals make
What makes hunting and trapping for sport is that people that do hunt or trap are seeing these animals as renewable resources. They can reproduce without the help of humans; however, that does not give humans the right to use them as a natural resource. It is a failure to not treat them with respect. One of the main concerns for defending hunting is that it is not different than what wildlife does to each other. The rights view sees that animals not moral agents, and have different morals than what humans have. Then only have to kill what they need to. The still cause harm, but do no moral harm in the logic of the rights view.
“Never be afraid to do what’s right, especially if the well-being of a person or ANIMAL is at stake.” - Martin Luther King Jr. The animal welfare act is to regulate the use and care of animals in a laboratory setting. Animal rights is the right believed to belong to animals to live free from use in medical research, hunting, and other services to humans. The first animal protection group was called ASPCA or the Animal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals founded by Henry Bergh in April 1866 (“11 facts about animal”). Animals shouldn’t be used in medical research because the animals aren’t protected by the Animal Welfare Act, and there are alternatives for testing products that don’t involve animals, despite the fact that some of these tests led to medical breakthroughs (“should animals be used”).
However, an animals inherent value doesn't depend on how useful they are to the world, and it doesn't diminish if they are a burden to others (BBC). The purpose of Animal rights are to teach people that there are some things that are morally wrong to do to animals and that animals deserve to be treated with respect. Human beings and adult mammals have rights because they are both 'subjects-of-a-life'(BBC). This means that like humans, animals have similar levels of biological complexity, are conscious and aware that they exist, and live in such a way as to give themselves the best quality of life. I admit that non-human animals lack many of the advanced capabilities that humans have, but that does not mean they do not deserve direct moral consideration and protection from
When presented with the question “Do non-human animals have rights?” I believe that they do have rights that are similar to those that humans sustain. Peter Singer's theory of speciesism which is explained in his book All Animals are Equal helps prove that we as humans are stuck in a mindset that penalizes animals solely because we are at the top of the foodchain. This mindset needs to change and the basic principle of equality should be given to all members of species, even those that are different than ours. Philosopher Tom Regan also helps support my argument that non-human animals have rights in his book titled The Case for Animal Rights. Regan helps support this argument with his idea that the system as a whole is wrong because we view
When it comes to the topic of animal testing most of us will readily agree that it is a debatable topic. Where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the question of should medical treatments be developed through the use of testing on animals. Whereas some are convinced that treatments are effective and successfully developed, others maintain that animals are different from human beings such as our genetic traits. My own view is animal testing has helped improve humans health and also has given great advances to science.
I believe that animals should be treated just as well as humans. "When it comes to feelings like pain, hunger, and thirst, “A rat is a pig is a dog is a boy," says Ingrid Newkirk. Animal rights are rights believed to belong to animals to live free from use in medical research, hunting, and other services to humans. Because animals have feelings and are much like humans, they deserve to have rights just like people do.