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The Resource Why animal suffering matters : philosophy, theology, and practical ethics, Andrew Linzey

Why animal suffering matters : philosophy, theology, and practical ethics, Andrew Linzey

Creator
Summary
  • How we treat animals arouses strong emotions. Many people are repulsed by photographs of cruelty to animals and respond passionately to how we make animals suffer for food, commerce, and sport. But is this, as some argue, a purely emotional issue? Are there really no rational grounds for opposing our current treatment of animals? In Why Animal Suffering Matters, Andrew Linzey argues that when analyzed impartially the rational case for extending moral solicitude to all sentient beings is much stronger than many suppose. Indeed, Linzey shows that many of the justifications for inflicting animal suffering in fact provide grounds for protecting them. Because animals, the argument goes, lack reason or souls or language, harming them is not an offense. Linzey suggests that just the opposite is true, that the inability of animals to give or withhold consent, their inability to represent their interests, their moral innocence, and their relative defenselessness all compel us not to harm them. Andrew Linzey further shows that the arguments in favor of three controversial practices -- hunting with dogs, fur farming, and commercial sealing -- cannot withstand rational critique. He considers the economic, legal, and political issues surrounding each of these practices, appealing not to our emotions but to our reason, and shows that they are rationally unsupportable and morally repugnant. In this superbly argued and deeply engaging book, Linzey pioneers a new theory about why animal suffering matters, maintaining that sentient animals, like infants and young children, should be accorded a special moral status. - Publisher
  • Andrew Linzey, the father of 'animal theology' grounds his arguments not on "animal rights" or on a secondary moral significance to animals, but on man's ethical responsibility towards innocent, defenseless, and vulnerable animals who are considered different or lower than us. The irrational and linguistic deficiencies, the alleged lack of moral agency, or even self-awareness compared to mature humanity are rational grounds for ethical concern by the mere fact that their undeserved suffering cannot be assumed to be any less than human suffering, since the significance of their suffering must be reckoned in their own terms, not ours. His central point is that, we cannot continue to privilege human suffering, but we must recognize that even animal differences argue for treating them with the care and concern we extend for our very young. Abused animals deserve special moral solicitude just as abused infants do who, though dependent on us for their welfare, can neither articulate or represent themselves
Language
eng
Work
Publication
Extent
xii, 206 pages
Contents
  • Introduction : Reason, ethics, and animals
  • pt. 1. Making the rational case
  • Why animal suffering matters morally
  • How we minimise animal suffering and how we can change
  • pt. 2. Three practical critiques
  • First case : hunting with dogs
  • Second case : fur farming
  • Third case : commercial sealing
  • Conclusion : Re-establishing animals and children as a common cause, and six objections considered
Isbn
9780195379778
Instance
Label
Why animal suffering matters : philosophy, theology, and practical ethics
Title
Why animal suffering matters
Title remainder
philosophy, theology, and practical ethics
Statement of responsibility
Andrew Linzey
Creator
Subject
Language
eng
Summary
  • How we treat animals arouses strong emotions. Many people are repulsed by photographs of cruelty to animals and respond passionately to how we make animals suffer for food, commerce, and sport. But is this, as some argue, a purely emotional issue? Are there really no rational grounds for opposing our current treatment of animals? In Why Animal Suffering Matters, Andrew Linzey argues that when analyzed impartially the rational case for extending moral solicitude to all sentient beings is much stronger than many suppose. Indeed, Linzey shows that many of the justifications for inflicting animal suffering in fact provide grounds for protecting them. Because animals, the argument goes, lack reason or souls or language, harming them is not an offense. Linzey suggests that just the opposite is true, that the inability of animals to give or withhold consent, their inability to represent their interests, their moral innocence, and their relative defenselessness all compel us not to harm them. Andrew Linzey further shows that the arguments in favor of three controversial practices -- hunting with dogs, fur farming, and commercial sealing -- cannot withstand rational critique. He considers the economic, legal, and political issues surrounding each of these practices, appealing not to our emotions but to our reason, and shows that they are rationally unsupportable and morally repugnant. In this superbly argued and deeply engaging book, Linzey pioneers a new theory about why animal suffering matters, maintaining that sentient animals, like infants and young children, should be accorded a special moral status. - Publisher
  • Andrew Linzey, the father of 'animal theology' grounds his arguments not on "animal rights" or on a secondary moral significance to animals, but on man's ethical responsibility towards innocent, defenseless, and vulnerable animals who are considered different or lower than us. The irrational and linguistic deficiencies, the alleged lack of moral agency, or even self-awareness compared to mature humanity are rational grounds for ethical concern by the mere fact that their undeserved suffering cannot be assumed to be any less than human suffering, since the significance of their suffering must be reckoned in their own terms, not ours. His central point is that, we cannot continue to privilege human suffering, but we must recognize that even animal differences argue for treating them with the care and concern we extend for our very young. Abused animals deserve special moral solicitude just as abused infants do who, though dependent on us for their welfare, can neither articulate or represent themselves
Cataloging source
DLC
http://library.link/vocab/creatorName
Linzey, Andrew
Dewey number
179/.3
Index
index present
LC call number
HV4708
LC item number
.L5644 2009
Literary form
non fiction
Nature of contents
bibliography
NLM call number
  • 2011 I-757
  • HV 4708
http://library.link/vocab/subjectName
  • Animal welfare
  • Animal Welfare
  • ethics
  • animal rights
  • pain
  • animal welfare
  • legislation
  • value systems
  • philosophy
  • Animal welfare
  • Tierethik
  • Tierethik
  • Tierethik
  • Djurrätt
Label
Why animal suffering matters : philosophy, theology, and practical ethics, Andrew Linzey
Instantiates
Publication
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
Introduction : Reason, ethics, and animals -- pt. 1. Making the rational case -- Why animal suffering matters morally -- How we minimise animal suffering and how we can change -- pt. 2. Three practical critiques -- First case : hunting with dogs -- Second case : fur farming -- Third case : commercial sealing -- Conclusion : Re-establishing animals and children as a common cause, and six objections considered
Control code
ocn261177776
Dimensions
25 cm
Extent
xii, 206 pages
Isbn
9780195379778
Lccn
2008046491
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
System control number
  • (Sirsi) o261177776
  • (OCoLC)261177776
Label
Why animal suffering matters : philosophy, theology, and practical ethics, Andrew Linzey
Publication
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
Introduction : Reason, ethics, and animals -- pt. 1. Making the rational case -- Why animal suffering matters morally -- How we minimise animal suffering and how we can change -- pt. 2. Three practical critiques -- First case : hunting with dogs -- Second case : fur farming -- Third case : commercial sealing -- Conclusion : Re-establishing animals and children as a common cause, and six objections considered
Control code
ocn261177776
Dimensions
25 cm
Extent
xii, 206 pages
Isbn
9780195379778
Lccn
2008046491
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
System control number
  • (Sirsi) o261177776
  • (OCoLC)261177776

Subject

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