An online meeting of our Grimsby Philosophy in Public Spaces group to ask the question ‘Are the interests of humanity always the most important interests?” – Thursday May 27th 2021, 7.30pm – 9.30pm.
Here’s the Zoom link, just come along and join us: https://zoom.us/s/91328331644
Are the interests of humanity always the most important interests?
This question is founded on ideas of the moral status of animals – if you answer yes, then that suggests there is something distinctive about humanity and non-humans do not have a moral status? Finding an answer is important because it speaks to our treatment of animals in our world. It will also help us understand ourselves better.
Argument 1: humans are distinguished from the rest of the natural world.
Many of those who accept this answer are interested in justifying certain human practices towards non-humans—practices that cause pain, discomfort, suffering and death. The expectation is that in answering the question in a particular way, humans will be justified in granting moral consideration to other humans that is neither required nor justified when considering non-human animals.
Argument 2: humans are different, but…
Although humans are different in a variety of ways from each other and other animals, these differences do not provide a philosophical defense for denying non-human animals moral consideration. What the basis of moral consideration is and what it amounts to has been the source of much disagreement.
Other questions we might ask:
- Are all species of animal equally worthy of moral consideration?
- How can we understand the mental landscape of any other sentient creature?
- How do we compare the relative interests of different animals in the same category?
- Should animals have rights?
- What about the problem of human animals that are not self-aware?
Philosophy in Public Spaces Grimsby 