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9.5: Influential Figures in Animal Ethics

Introduction to Animal Science · LibreTexts

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    Key Contribution (1789): In An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation, Bentham famously argued:

    “The question is not, Can they reason? Nor can they talk? But can they suffer?”

    Significance:

    • Shifted moral consideration from intelligence or language to the capacity for suffering.
    • Laid the foundation for modern animal welfare ethics.
    • Supported legal protections for animals based on sentience.

    Key Contribution (1983): In The Case for Animal Rights, Regan developed a rights-based framework for animal ethics.

    Core Ideas:

    • Animals are “subjects of a life” with inherent value.
    • Animals possess moral rights not to be harmed or used merely as means.

    Impact:

    • Provided a philosophical foundation for abolitionism.
    • Strongly influenced legal and ethical debates on animal rights.

    Peter Singer (b. 1946) Peter Singer, a man with white hair and glasses, holding a microphone

    Key Contribution (1975): In Animal Liberation, Singer extended utilitarian ethics to animals.

    Core Ideas:

    • The principle of equal consideration of interests
    • Speciesism as a form of unjust discrimination
    • Moral obligation to minimize suffering regardless of species

    Impact:

    • Sparked the modern animal rights movement.
    • Popularized veganism and animal advocacy.

    The ethics of animal use spans a broad spectrum, from absolute rejection of all animal use to conditional acceptance grounded in tradition, utility, and evolving welfare standards. Influential philosophers such as Bentham, Singer, and Regan have profoundly shaped modern debates by reframing how humans morally perceive animals, shifting the conversation from dominion and utility toward suffering, interests, and rights.

    Images Credit: Wikipimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Peter_Singer_2017_(cropped).jpg&oldid=1059049905

    This page titled 9.5: Influential Figures in Animal Ethics was last modified on Fri, 05 Jun 2026 16:11:49 GMT and is shared under a CC BY license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Deanne Pawlisch.