PHILOSOPHY

Speciesism Argument of Peter Singer

Speciesism Argument of Peter Singer

Introduction

Speciesism is the case that racism and sexism are respectively the race and gender: will not take into account (or less taken into account) the interests of some for the benefit of others, citing differences real or imagined but still without logical connection with what they are supposed to justify. In practice, speciesism is the ideology that justifies and requires the development and use of animals by humans in ways that would not be accepted if the victims were human (Graft, 1998, pp.191-205). Animals are raised and slaughtered to provide us with meat, they are caught for our consumption, they are used as biological models for our scientific interests, and they are hunted for our sporting pleasure. The fight against these practices and against the ideology that supports them is the task that gives the animal liberation movement. The term "speciecism" was first used in 1971, by the British psychologist Richard D. Ryder in his article "Experiments on Animals" (LaFollette & Shanks, 1996, pp. 41-61). In 1986 it was defined by the Oxford Dictionary as "the assumption of human superiority over other creatures, leading to animal exploitation." Speciesism considers not only the rights of others, but the root denies differences which are usually argue from reason: man is a rational being and therefore ethnocentric enjoys the privilege of using the other regardless of the consequences. Many authors have worked upon defining the Speciesism in their own ways. Some have given arguments in favor of this concept while many are against it. In this paper the Speciesism arguments by Peter Singer are critically evaluated. Further, some examples will be given against these arguments.

Discussion

The term speciesism comes from the word "species", and indicates the human attitude whereby one's kind (human, in this case) is primary for some reason on all other animal species. Peter Singer, in his classic book "Animal Liberation" is defined as "Prejudice or biased attitude favorable to the interests of the members of our own species and against those of others (Singer, 1989, pp.148-162)

One of its consequences is verifiable exploitation suffered by animals (nonhuman) animals in the hands of humans. This operation always seeks the benefit of the human species to the detriment of the rest: the man kills animals to eat their flesh, to wear their skins and create thousands of ways to use them profitably as products. Enclose wild animals to "know" or "retain" to experience substance to have fun at their expense or to torture them to death. In all these cases (which reflect the basis of the food industry, entertainment, "fashion", scientific, etc.).

The approach of Peter Singer towards animal liberation does not suppose about the inherent rights of animals but rather it assumes that the due considerations should be given to the interest of animals. Though there are certain similarities between animals and humans but many differences regarding interests and abilities can be found among them. No one can expect the equal ...