A Constrained-Utility Alternative to Animal Rights

Environmental Values 11 (1):49-62 (2002)
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Abstract

Numerous approaches have been taken in an effort to find a non-anthropocentric ethic that will lead to greater consideration of animals. Most of the recent approaches in this area have been rights-based. It is argued here that a rights-based approach alone fails both theoretically and in practical applications. It is shown that in theory these approaches can lead to unsound conclusions and cannot handle uncertainty. In addition, in practice the rules of the rights-based approaches will often be violated. A utility approach with unequal weighting for different species subject to certain rights or obligations is proposed as an alternative. This approach is intended to be operational rather than purely theoretical and therefore would be based on a negotiated consensus rather than a priori theory.

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Citations of this work

Animal ethics and interest conflicts.Elisa Aaltola - 2005 - Ethics and the Environment 10 (1):19-48.

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References found in this work

Animal Liberation.Bill Puka & Peter Singer - 1977 - Philosophical Review 86 (4):557.
The Case for Animal Rights.Tom Regan - 1985 - Human Studies 8 (4):389-392.
Interspecific justice.Donald VanDeVeer - 1979 - Inquiry: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Philosophy 22 (1-4):55 – 79.
Inherent worth, respect, and rights.Louis G. Lombardi - 1983 - Environmental Ethics 5 (3):257-270.

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