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J. J. C. Smart on the Moral Status of Animals

Animal Ethics

I assumed that Hume was right in thinking that ultimately morality depends on how we feel about things. It is a merit of utilitarianism, with its stress on happiness and unhappiness, that lower animals must be considered along with human beings, so that they are not debarred from full or direct consideration because they are not "rational."

Morals 40
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Moral Vegetarianism, Part 3 of 13

Animal Ethics

Second, there are other species besides human beings that have high intelligence, e.g., chimpanzees and dolphins. KBJ: Nobody in the animal-rights or animal-liberation movement views intelligence as a morally significant property, at least intrinsically. But recall that shmoos want to be eaten. KBJ: Ditto.

Morals 40