cloth 0-87722-493-5 $64.50, Jul 87, Out of Stock Unavailable
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328 pp
"Direct and highly readable.... Sapontzis tries to show that certain differences between humans and animals, including differences in reason, even if they have moral import, do not make the case against animals that many people think they do and do not underwrite many facets of our present treatment of animals."
R. G. Frey, Ethics
This book criticizes the common belief that we are entitled to exploit animals for our benefit because they are not as rational as people. After discussing the moral (in)significance of reason in general, the author proceeds to develop a clear, commonsensical conception of what "animal rights" is about and why everyday morality points toward the liberation of animals as the next logical step in Western moral progress. The book evaluates criticisms of animal rights that have appeared in recent philosophical literature and explains the consequences of animal liberation for our diet, science, and treatment of the environment.
The issue of animal rights has become of increasing philosophical and popular importance over the past decade. Morals. Reason, and Animals is the first extensive, second-generation contribution to this debate. Focusing exclusively on the fundamental philosophical issues, Sapontzis both undermines the arguments that have been raised against animal rights and constructs a rebuttal that avoids the pitfalls encountered by earlier defenses.
Excerpt available at www.temple.edu/tempress
"In my opinion only five authors have made a significant philosophical contribution to the endeavor of placing animals in ethical theory: Singer, Frey, Regan, Mary Midgley, and S. F. Sapontzis. [Morals, Reason, and Animals is] an excellent, underappreciated work."
David DeGrazia, Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal
"Sapontzis presents a strong case for including animals in the moral community, and his work is an important and unique contribution to animal rights literature."
The Animals' Agenda
"Sapontzis advances a bold and provocative defense for the liberation of animals, arguing that the requirement of rationalityin its morally relevant sensedoes not rule out the possibility of extending moral rights to animals.... The views articulated here are original and, at points, controversial...making this an important book. Moreover, the style is extremely clear and readable. Highly recommended."
Choice
"In this work, Sapontzis provides a philosophically sophisticated and far-ranging contribution to the current debate on animal liberation.... Given the wide range of arguments, authors, and topics discussed, [this] may be the most comprehensive work to date on animal liberation."
Anthrozois
"This is an excellent contribution to the animal rights movement. The author�s clear, simple, readable, and often witty style makes the book quite accessible to anyone with serious interest in the field.... Morals, Reason, and Animals is a highly original, creative, and important book."
Bernard Rollin, Colorado State University
"This book offers a number of fresh perspectives and stimulating new arguments in a subject area that is dauntingly dense with articles and books [Sapontzis] has managed to present a broad variety of subtle philosophical issues in a clear and forceful manner...."
Thomas Benson, Academic Dean, St. Andrews Presbyterian College
Preface
Acknowledgments
Part I: The Moral (In)Significance of Reason
1. Why Should I Be Rational?
"Rationality" and Its Alternatives
The Methodological Counterattack
The Moral of the Story
2. Where Reason Enters Inand Where It Doesn�t
Incidentally Good Actions
Ulterior Motives
Acting Out of Context
Moral Agents, Philosophers, and Judges
Summary and Conclusion
3. Being Rational and Acting Morally
What "Rational" Refers To
Can Only Rational Beings Be Moral Agents?
Acting for the Right Reason
Acting on Principle and Acting Morally
The Free, the Rational, and the Moral
Everyday Freedom
Pursuing Ideals vs. the Value of Virtue
4. People and Persons
Metaphysical vs. Moral Persons
The Humanist Principle
The Logico-linguistic Defense of Humanism
The Phenomenological Defense of Humanism
The Transcendental Defense of Humanism
The Consequential Defense of Humanism
Conclusion
Part II: "Animal Rights"?
5. What Liberating Animals Is and Isn�t About
The Moral Sense of "Animal"
Applying the Rhetoric of Liberation to Animals
Applying the Concept of Equality to Animals
Applying the Rhetoric of Rights to Animals
Is Animal Liberation an Affront to Human Liberation?
Summary
6. Three Reasons for Liberating Animals
Liberating Animals and Developing Moral Character
Liberating Animals and Making the World a Happier Place
Liberating Animals and Being Fair
Conclusion
Part III: Answering Some Objections to Liberating Animals
7. Can Animals Have Interests?
Language and Interests
"Having an Interest"
Language and Desire
Language and Belief
The Psychological (In)Significance of Grammar
Language and Truth
Language and Self-Consciousness
Conclusion
Reason and the Moral Significance of Interests
Being Rational and Having Interests
Having Interests and Moral Standing
8. Moral Community and Animal Rights
The Reciprocity Requirement
The Agency Requirement
The Relations Requirement
The Humanist Requirement
Conclusion
9. The Misfortune of Death
Why (Supposedly) Only Rational Beings Can Have a Right to Life
Having vs. Taking an Interest in Life
Having Interests and Having Rights
Having an Interest in Life and the Right to Life
Suffering a Loss and the Awareness of Loss
Summary and Conclusion
10. The Replacement Argument
The (In)Significance of the Replacement Argument
Six Ways of Evaluating Moral Standing
Describing the Six Ways
Six Evaluations of the Replacement Argument
Total Population vs. Prior Existence Utilitarianism
Prior Existence Utilitarianism and Obligations to Future Generations
Summary
Part IV: A Few Consequences
11. Vegetarianism
The Simple Answer
Exploiting, Slaughtering, and Harvesting
Exploiting, Killing, and Scavenging
Starvation
12. Whither Animal Research?
Can Animals Consent to Research�?
Should Research Be Done Only with Those Who Consent?
Are Humans a Superior Form of Life?
Should Superiors Exploit Their Inferiors?
Summary and Conclusion
13. Saving the Rabbit from the Fox
The Variety of Absurdity
Ought Implies Can
"Avoidable" Suffering
Conclusion
14. Plants and Things
Environmental Ethics and Inherent Value
Environmental Crisis and the (Supposed) Necessity of Inherent Value
The Variety of Goodness and the (Supposed) Necessity of Inherent Value
Conclusion
Environmental Ethics and Ecological Holism
The Biotic "Community" vs. Animal Liberation
The Arbitrariness of Total Holism
Environmental Ethics vs. Personal Preferences
Morality and the Affirmation of Life
Summary
The Good of Nonsentient Things
The Environmental Ethics of Animal Liberation
Notes
Bibliography
Index
S. F. Sapontzis is Professor of Philosophy at California State University, Hayward.
Philosophy and Ethics
Animals and Society
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