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John Passmore (1914-2004) on the Moral Status of Animals

Animal Ethics

One restriction on the absolutism of man's rule over Nature is now generally accepted: moral philosophers and public opinion agree that it is morally impermissible to be cruel to animals. Controversies no doubt remain.

Morals 40
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Why Is the Federal Government Awarding Contracts to a Company That Was Involved in Smuggling Primates?

Critter News

Signed on 2004-04-15. Completion date: 2004-05-05. Aside from the moral issues involved in animal experimentation, why are US taxpayer dollars going to a company started by a man who went to jail for smuggling, and then transferred control of the company to his wife and mother? Signed on 2005-08-12. Completion date: 2005-10-17.

Primates 100
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Tom Regan on Utilitarianism

Animal Ethics

The initial attractiveness of utilitarianism as a moral theory on which to rest the call for the better treatment of animals was noted in an earlier context. Because animals are sentient (i.e., Because animals are sentient (i.e., But utilitarianism is not the theory its initial reception by the animal rights movement may have suggested.

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Tom Regan on Kant's View of Animals

Animal Ethics

That Kant should hold such a view should not be surprising; it is a direct consequence of his moral theory, the main outlines of which may be briefly, albeit crudely, summarized. As such, no moral agent is ever to be treated merely as a means. Moral agents are not nonrational, do not have "only a relative value," and are not things.

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Tom Regan on the Use of Animals in Science

Animal Ethics

The rights view merely requires moral consistency in this regard. ( Tom Regan , The Case for Animal Rights , updated with a new preface [Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2004], 388 [first edition published in 1983]) There are also some things we cannot learn by using humans, if we respect their rights.

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Tom Regan on Endangered Species

Animal Ethics

If people are encouraged to believe that the harm done to animals matters morally only when these animals belong to endangered species, then these same people will be encouraged to regard the harm done to other animals as morally acceptable.

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Joel Feinberg (1926-2004) on Animal Rights

Animal Ethics

Now, if a person agrees with the conclusion of the argument thus far, that animals are the sorts of beings that can have rights, and further, if he accepts the moral judgment that we ought to be kind to animals, only one further premise is needed to yield the conclusion that some animals do in fact have rights.