Animal Ethics

OCTOBER 23, 2009

When it is asked whether animals have rights, and whether human beings have duties to them, the question, I think, is partly moral and partly verbal. Let us consider the moral question first. It is this latter view, I believe, that is in the minds of some of those who deny that animals have rights.

Animal Rights 40

Animal Rights Rights Animal Cruelty 40

Animal Ethics

OCTOBER 29, 2008

Once a definite social movement got under way in the West with its objective the restricting of man's treatment of animals, it moved with relative rapidity. Moral philosophers began to regard it as an obvious truth that it is wrong to treat animals cruelly.

Animal Cruelty 40

Animal Cruelty 2004 Cruelty Vivisection 40

Animal Ethics

FEBRUARY 6, 2007

The dark secret behind factory farm profits—cruel and inhumane animal husbandry—is getting out. Factory farmers treat animals inhumanely for no good reason. Since morally decent individuals oppose treating animals inhumanely for no good reason, factory farming is becoming an increasingly hard sell.

Factory 40

Factory Factory Farm Factory Farming Gestation Crates 40

Animal Ethics

AUGUST 5, 2007

To the Editor: “ A Factory Farm Near You ” (editorial, July 31) does not mention any issue of the morality of factory farming—treating living beings as factory products. Cruelty to animals on such a scale should be the centerpiece of any discussion on raising animals for food.

New York Times 40

New York Times Factory Farm Factory Farming New York 40

Animal Ethics

FEBRUARY 1, 2012

Their interests are primarily protected, if at all, through archaic state anti-cruelty statutes that were not passed in contemplation of the factory-farm or genetic engineering. Though factory-farming and biotechnological techniques massively violate the moral rights of farm animals, they have no remedy.

Farm Animal 40

Farm Animal Farmed Animals Farming Factory Farm 40

Animal Ethics

SEPTEMBER 25, 2008

If all pain is evil, as Bentham thought, then the pain of animals—assuming only that they can feel pain—ought not to be ignored in man's moral decisions. The pains of animals might be less, as not including the pains of anticipation, than the pains felt by man, but that is no reason for not taking them into account.

2004 40

2004 Animal Abandon Abandoning 40

Animal Ethics

SEPTEMBER 22, 2008

It is certain, then, that the practice of flesh-eating involves a vast amount of cruelty, a fact which cannot be lessened or evaded by any quibbling subterfuges. That depends on whether there are morally relevant differences between chickens and fish on the one hand and cows, pigs, and sheep on the other. (I Am I a hypocrite?

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Vegetarian Morals Chickens Lamb 40

Animal Ethics

JUNE 4, 2009

For an explanation of this feature, click on “Moral Vegetarianism” at the bottom of this post. In fact, animals used for food do suffer a great deal. One suspects that the SPCA and the American Humane Society have done more to stop cruelty to animals than vegetarians ever could. Such a supposition seems ludicrous to me.

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Vegetarian Morals Protest Protesting 40

Animal Ethics

JANUARY 2, 2008

Stop supporting unnecessary animal cruelty in all of its forms. Now that 2008 has arrived, I'd like once again to encourage new and old readers alike to make this the year that they stop supporting animal cruelty in all of its forms. Stop supporting unnecessary animal cruelty in all of its forms.

Rights 40

Rights Animal Cruelty Vegan Cruelty 40

Animal Ethics

DECEMBER 31, 2006

Stop supporting unnecessary animal cruelty in all of its forms. Stop supporting unnecessary animal cruelty in all of its forms. What can I do to stop supporting unnecessary animal cruelty, and is it difficult to do so? b) Stop eating animal products. (c)

2007 40

2007 Rights Animal Cruelty Cruelty 40

Animal Ethics

DECEMBER 23, 2006

Jonathan Hubbell, a philosophy major at the University of Texas at Arlington, is the newest member of the Animal Ethics blog, and once again, I would like to welcome him aboard. In his fresh and candid first post (available here ), Jonathan admitted that he is struggling with the issue of ethical vegetarianism.

Factory Farm 40

Factory Farm Factory Farming Morals Meat 40

Animal Ethics

DECEMBER 24, 2006

Wherever companies profit from cruelty, you can rest assured that they will try to hide that cruelty from consumers, because cruelty makes a rather poor PR statement. Each semester when I teach Contemporary Moral Issues, on the first day of class I begin with a survey. Why is the dog subjected to such unspeakable cruelty?

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Fur Fur Industry HSUS Raccoons 40