Sign Up Now
Get instant access to over 1 million+ study documents
OR
Already registered? click here to login
By creating your account, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and student honor code.
Animal Rights and Moral Philosophy
Most philosophy is directed at and in reference to human behavior and human responsibility yet it is presumptuous to believe that Aristotle when building the basis for Natural Law Theory did not include within his biological ideal the actions of humans toward other living beings. Reaching final mature form is said to be the goal for beings when one applies the teleological theory of Natural Law Theory. Therefore if a human were to disrupt the maturation goal of another living being it would be against the tenets of Natural Law Theory: moral law is accessible to human reason; moral law is based on human nature; moral law is universally applicable.
Aristotle makes clear through his work that in order to find happiness we must function perfectly. "human good turns out to be activity of soul in accordance with virtue, and if there are more than one virtue, in accordance with the best and most complete. But we must add 'in a complete life.' For one swallow does not make a summer, nor does one day; and so too one day, or a short time, does not make a man blessed and happy." (Aristotle trans. W.D. Ross Book I. pg. 8)
He uses the differences between plants and humans and animals and humans as an allegorical device but in so doing he makes clear that to be...
That rational element recognizes the difference and therefore the responsibility of humans as the owners of rational though to be the caretakers and protectors of those living things, which do not share the function of rational thought.
Disrupting the maturation of an animal, for other than a moral reason, say to avoid starvation either through an act of omission or commission would therefore go against human nature. Natural Law Theory would lead an individual to look inside his or herself and determine what is good, what we ought to do. If this is the case it is clear that in the laws of nature there are very few examples of animals killing for sport and wasting the meat and those animals that do this are supported by a whole plethora of animals who then move forward to complete the task of using the resources. Scavengers complete the circle of natural law.
According to Thomas Aquinas, (quoting form notes) "We flourish as humans if we are what we can be. In other words, we ought to promote our species capacities, to further our life and health." Lacking the natural environment, including what he calls the lower beings it is very clear that our health and even our lives would be…
Works Cited
Aristotle. Trans. W.D. Ross. Nicomachean Ethics. May 08, 2003 http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/nicomachaen.1.i.html.1994-2000
Bukowski, Michal "Kant's Theory of Morals." May 08, 2003 http://www.bukwa.com/filozofia/moje_prace/theory_of_morals/ktom.asp.
Fox, James J. "Natural Law: It's Essence: The Catholic Encyclopedia Online." May 08, 2003 http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09076a.htm.2003
Moral Philosophy Can desires and feelings be in accordance with or contrary to reason? Are they under the control of, or guided by, reason? Compare, contrast, and critically evaluate the answers of Aristotle and Hume to these questions and their arguments in support of those answers. David Hume is one of the most significant philosophers of the 18th Century. Hume is skeptical about moral truths, and he ascertains that ethics comes from
Two main aims of the zoos are highlighted by the author in the article. Firstly, zoos provide the environments that are suitable and represent some level of wilderness. Secondly, the zoos must provide entertainment to the visitors. But the zoos have been criticized by the author. One of the most important facts in these cases is the relationship between pornography and zoos as given by the authors. The way
.. it's healthy, it's somebody's way of life, it's somebody's livelihood, it's somebody's business.(ibid) This is a strongly worded statement and indictment of an uncaring humanity. However, bearing in mind the daily evidence of cruelty to animals one cannot but feel that there is an element of truth to this argument. Commercial reasons for abuse One of the central reasons or "justifications" for animal abuse and possibly why so many turn a blind
Moral Philosophy Ethical Theories on Animals. The treatment of animals has historically evolved along with human beings' changing views of them. A number of theories trace this changing treatment to the Judeo-Christian-Islamic times when people exercised absolute dominion over animals (Sanders 2004). It was their religious belief that God gave man absolute dominion over animals and to do to them as he pleased or estimated. French philosopher Rene Descartes and other
These abilities are inclusive of memory emotion, belief, desire, intentional actions and an awareness of the future. With these things being understood this theory asserts that mammals not only have physical bodies that are alive but they also function as psychological beings whose existence can get better or worse. Proponents of this theory argue that other mammals have this capacity even though they cannot use human language to articulate
The Moral Equation: Observations of animals, whether in the wild, in captivity, or in experimental cages reveal undeniable evidence that they perceive physical pain and discomfort as well as pain as acutely as we do (Tangley 2000). Anecdotal evidence of numerous well documented instances seems to suggest that many animals also experience emotions such as grief from of loss of companionship (Moussaieff-Masson 1995). Not uncommonly, it is scientists and medical researchers themselves