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Eating Animals (Kantian Deontology (We cannot treat animals how we want…
Eating Animals
Kantian Deontology
Only act on maxims where it is possible for everyone to will
Animals do not have rational will
Any maxim regarding animals can be universalised
There is no contradiction in will or conception
Second Formulation
Humans are ends in themselves
We have rational will and can adopt ends
Only thing that is unconditionally good
Animals do not have a rational will
Not ends in themselves so can be treated as means to ends
We may therefore eat them
We cannot treat animals how we want
We have a duty to be virtuous to others
Protect and develop our ability to have a good will
If we are unkind to animals we may become unkind to people
We have no duties to animals but we do have duties concerning them
Object
Counter - intuitive
Fails to account for what is wrong because of the harm done to the animal
Babies are not rational or autonomous
Aristotle, Diamond and Virtue
Primary concern with eudaimonia has little place for the consideration of animals
There may always be ways of treating animals in a way that is not virtuous
Diamond
Eating meat is often wrong
Speciesim misunderstands ethics
A person is not something to eat
Speciest arguments are unconvincing
We do not raise people for meat
Moral duties are not the result of the interests of Homo sapiens
Moral duties constitute recognising that animal as a human
Attempt to eradicate the difference between human beings and animals
The meat industry is an industry
Efficiency > animal benefit
Conflicts with nursery rhymes and treatment
Utilitarianism
Bentham
Identification of happiness as the only good was radical
Animals are morally important
Singer
Failing to treat animals as equal was 'speciesm'
Is eating animals always wrong?
Would stopping farming etc reduce the amount of animal suffering more than it would increase human suffering?
Only objects to suffering, not killing
Painless death
Eating meat is only wrong if the animals were not treated well