SMU – PHIL 3379 – ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS – FALL 2023 – JEAN KAZEZ – eesmu.blogspot.com

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

MODULE 1: Wild vs. Domesticated Animals

 AGENDA

  1. Presentation groups (will also use as discussion groups throughout semester)
  2. Three views on moral status of animals: William Baxter, Peter Singer, Clare Palmer
  3. Get into presentation groups: (a) introduce yourselves, exchange contact info, (b) discuss these three views 
  4. Preview: next time, individuals vs. species



SCENARIO 1
SAVING AFTER A HURRICANE 

Version 1, human

Version 2, someone's dog




William Baxter--Anthropocentrism
  1. Humans count as ends, we have duties to humans
  2. We should assist animals only to the the extent it's beneficial to humans
  3. So what would he say about scenario 1?



Peter Singer--Egalitarian Animalism
  1. Don't be a speciesist--it's like being a sexist or racist
  2. Give equal consideration to equal interests-- "To each according to his interests"
  3. If a being suffers, it has interests; if a being can't suffer, it has no interests
  4. It's not speciesist to acknowledge species differences when it comes to interests 
  5. Decide what to do by a Utilitarian standard
    • adopt the policy/action that has the best consequences
    • maximize total happiness for all affected by policy/action
    • don't look back--utilitarianism is future-oriented
  6. What would he say about scenarios 1 and 2?

SCENARIO 2
FOOD DISTRIBUTION 
AFTER A HURRICANE

Version 1, human

Version 2, someone's dog





Clare Palmer--Contextual Animalism
  1. Singer's view is capacity-based (capacities are internal to animal)
  2. Palmer says capacities do matter, but so does context (external to animal)
    • capacities: "sentience is sufficient for moral status" ....but that "does not necessarily mean ... that all humans (including humans!) have equal moral status, it just means that they count for something; we can't just do anything we like to them..."  (Palmer, p. 9)
    • context: cat you adopted vs. stray cat (you have different duties)
  3. Wild vs. domesticated animals (definition)
    • domesticated animals are bred by humans to have desirable traits
    • they tend to be more helpless and vulnerable than wild animals
    • this is a difference of context
  4. We normally owe more to domesticated animals
    • due the difference of context
    • we're responsible for them existing and being vulnerable
    • we need to do more to assist
  5. We sometimes also have extra duties to wild animals
    • namely, when we're responsible for the situation that's causing their problems
  6. What would she say about scenarios 3 and 4?
SCENARIO 3
HELPING DOGS & WILDLIFE
AFTER A HURRICANE

Version 1, someone's dog

Version 2, skunk!

SCENARIO 4
HELPING WILD BIRDS
AFTER OIL SPILL/HURRICANE

Version 1, after an oil spill

Version 2, after a hurricane




Which of the three views do you think is most plausible?  WORKBOOK



RR feedback-- model for RR5 is below.