Should Animals Have the Same Rights as People?

(Originally posted at An Animal-Friendly Life)

I was invited to participate as an "Expert" over at Opposing Views, a site that sets up debates on various topics by asking "Experts" to weigh in with their arguments (OV's About page). I mentioned the site previously in a post on California's Proposition 2.

The topic I was asked to take on was Should Animals Have the Same Rights as People? As of now, Bob Torres and I represent similar viewpoints, while two other viewpoints are set forth by Tibor Machan and Paul J. Fitzgerald, S.J.

I've laid out only three arguments at this point, mainly to pick apart the question and to support my views with very basic posts regarding animal rights (you may recognize some of the content from the AR101 series I'm running here). Please take the time to visit and read them:

What Are Rights?

Sentience is Sufficient for Basic Rights Protection

Making Sense of the Question

You may offer your thumbs-up under each argument as a recommendation if you like, or even offer comments in support of or against. Please let me know if you feel there's something else I ought to be arguing, either here in comments or via email by using the "Contact" link above.

Mon, 11/17/2008 - 2:15pm — AnimalFriendly

Submitted by animalia_libero on Mon, 11/17/2008 - 2:34pm.

"There are obvious differences between humans and other animals, and these differences must give rise to some differences in the rights that each have. Recognizing this evident fact, however, is no barrier to the case for extending the basic principle of equality to nonhuman animals...

The extension of the basic principle of equality from one group to another does not imply that we must treat both groups in exactly the same way, or grant exactly the same rights to both groups. Whether we should do so will depend on the nature of the members of the two groups. The basic principle of equality does not require equal or identical treatment; it requires equal consideration. Equal consideration for different beings may lead to different treatment and different rights."

-Peter Singer, Animal Liberation, 1975

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"I don't need a friend who changes when I change and who nods when I nod; my shadow does that much better." -Plutarch

Submitted by AnimalFriendly on Tue, 11/18/2008 - 11:19pm.

Too bad Singer is a utilitarian opposed to rights. Too bad utilitarianism, properly applied, could well require us to ignore the moral rights of individual beings if doing so served "the greater good."

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