Animal rights are defined in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as “rights (as to fair and humane treatment) regarded as belonging fundamentally to all animals.” But what do they mean by “all animals”? Is there a different protocol for every specie? Is there an invisible line drawn to state what rights animals have? You have to decide. Animals have played a role in society since evolution began. First, animals were used for food, their skins were used for clothing and shelter, and their bones for tools. Even though animals became domesticated they were still used as such and eventually for many other purposes. Today most of us accept the idea that people may use animals but treat them correctly. The United States has even created anti-cruelty laws …show more content…
Such as the example: “If a lion gets to eat meat, then I should be able to eat meat too”. (Lin) That statement is completely arbitrary. First off, you are not a lion, second, lions need to eat meat in order to live, unlike humans who can live off of plants just as well. Doris Lin, an animal rights expert, took to the media to set people straight. The main question: Why should animals have rights? I concur with Lin that the animal rights movement bases their beliefs that animals have feelings and not just one type of animal, all animals have feelings. In fact an a world-wide group of neuroscientists stated in 2012 that animals are very aware of themselves and their surroundings, and that humans are not the only ones to recognizing themselves in mirrors. Nor are humans the only creatures to make decisions and understand the circumstance of making a correct or incorrect decision. Animals may feel things differently than humans, but only in the same sense that no two humans feel the same way. Two people can be happy, but how they are happy is two totally different things and it’s the same way in animals. There are studies upon studies that prove her points and because of that proof, I couldn’t agree with her …show more content…
Every year millions of animals are used in medical experiments for the benefits of human health. Animals are used from anything from vaccines and other pharmaceuticals to cosmetics. Luckily, in the latter years scientist have found other ways to test drugs and make-up rather than on animals in some cases. Medical testing, especially in the early stages, can be excruciatingly painful for animals and can even cause death. The same can be said about the cosmetics testing. There are many rallies against animal testing as to where the line is drawn when it comes to animal rights. I believe if you could ask an animal rights activist what rights animals should have, it’s doesn’t really have a difficult drawn out answer. Though there are many different ideas about animal rights, even among activists, the main goal is still the same. They plead that animals have the right to live free of human use and mistreatment, that they won’t be tested on or locked in small cages. Extreme Animal rights activists strive for a more vegan society where animals are no longer used for food, clothing or entertainment (such as pets, zoos, or
Animal rights can defined as the idea that some, or all non-human animals are entitled to the possession of their own lives and that their most basic interests should be afforded the same consideration as similar interests of human beings. Animal rights can help protect the animals who experience research and testing that could be fatal towards them. The idea of animal rights protects too the use of dogs for fighting and baiting. Finally, animal rights affects the farms across america, limiting what animals can be slaughtered. The bottom line is, there is too much being done to these animals that most do not know about.
After reading “Do Animals Have Rights?” by Carl Cohen, the central argument of the article is that rights entail obligations. Cohen examines the syllogism that all trees are plants but does not follow the same that all plants are trees. Cohen explains the syllogism through the example of hosts in a restaurant. They have obligation to be cordial to their guests, but the guest has not the right to demand cordiality. Cohen explains using animals, for example his dog has no right to daily exercise and veterinary care, but he does have the obligation to provide those things for her. Cohen states that animals cannot be the bearers of rights because the concept of rights is essentially human; it is rooted in, and has force within, a human moral world. Humans must deal with rats-all too frequently in some parts of the world-and must be moral in their dealing with them; but a rat can no more be said to have rights than a table can be said to have ambition.
Throughout history, societies have been faced with many social issues affecting their citizens. Martin Luther King Jr, a civil rights leader for African Americans, was an advocate for the Civil Rights Movement, a movement that fought to undo the injustices African Americans endure by American society in the 1960s. Martin expressed his disgust with the social inequality among citizens when saying “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” (PETA). Taking the prominent leader’s words into consideration, we should progress as a society by participating in the animal rights movement that strives to extend the same compassion, felt by Martin Luther King Jr, to all living things (PETA). Popular criticisms report that animals are inferior to humans because they are a source of food, but I will argue that they are victims of social injustice. Validity for my animal rights argument will come from individual and organizational expert accounts and by Bioethicist Peter Singer, Author Francis Fukuyama, New York Time’s Mark Bittman and also Animal Rights organizations, such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), and Animal Equality, to help prove my argument. Animals are silent victims who are loudly crying out for someone to stand up for their rights; rights that can no longer be disregarded by being overlooked. It is my belief that animals should be respected, and afforded ethical and human treatment by society instead of being looked at as a source of food. In a society where animals have no voice, it is everyone’s civic duty to participate in the animal rights movement and acknowledge animals as living beings, which...
4. What is Animal Rights? Animal Rights is the thought of letting animals get the basic rights. They don’t want animals to be caused pain, or be exploited/killed by humans. It does not mean equality between humans and animals.
Throughout history, beginning as early as 500 BC, animals have been used to test products that will later be utilized by humans (“Animal Testing” 4), what isn’t publicly discussed is the way it will leave the animals after the process is done. Many innocent rabbits, monkeys, mice, and even popular pets such as dogs are harmed during the testing application of cosmetics, medicine, perfumes, and many other consumer products (Donaldson 2). Nevertheless, there are many people whom support the scandal because "it is a legal requirement to carry out animal testing to ensure they are safe and effective” for human benefit (Drayson). The overall question here is should it even be an authorized form of experimentation in the United States, or anywhere else? The fact of the matter is that there are alternatives to remove animals out of the equation for good (“Alternatives” 1). They are cheaper, and less invasive than the maltreatment of the 26 million innocent animals that are subjected to the heartlessness of testing each year (“Animal Testing” 4). All in all, due to the harsh effects of animal testing, it should be treated as animal cruelty in today’s society.
Many countries around the world agree on two basic rights, the right to liberty and the right to ones own life. Outside of these most basic human and civil rights, what do we deserve, and do these rights apply to animals as well? Human rights worldwide need to be increased and an effort made to improve lives. We must also acknowledge that “just as one wants happiness and fears pain, just as one wants to live and not die, so do other creatures” (Dalai Lama). Animals are just as capable of suffering as we are, and an effort should be made to increase their rights. Governments around the world should establish special rights that ensure the advancement and end of suffering of all sentient creatures, both human and non-human. Everyone and everything should be given the same chance to flourish and live.
Animals deserve certain rights. As Dog˘an expresses, “Animals have a right to life, to liberty in the sense of freedom of movement and communication, to subsistence, to relief from suffering, and to security against
Do animals deserve the natural rights humans have? Animals are being kept captive in science labs to test many things. In research labs they are used to test many trivial products and they are used in valuable medical research. Many animal right activists go as far as breaking the law as an attempt to get the point across about the wellbeing of animals in science labs. The welfare of animals should be considered in experiments, although they are a substantial benefit to medical research there should still be strict enforced regulations set to stop the unnecessary pain and suffering of the animals.
the same rights as humans do. Like us, animals can feel pain and fear, but also
Animal testing has long played a part in the science of testing, and it still plays a very important role in the medical world. Testing on animals in order to create a cure for AIDS is one thing, but testing on animals for human vanity is another. Animal testing is used to test the safety of a product. It has kept some very unsafe substances out of the cosmetic world. However, in this day in age, animal testing is not the only way to test the safety of a product. Animal testing in cosmetics has decreased over the years. However, it is still used by many companies in America. Animal testing is not only cruel, but it is also unnecessary in today’s advanced scientific world.
Animals have always played an essential role in many aspects of this world. Some people look at these roles with favoritism, some with disgust. Animals are considered different from humans by some people because of their behavior, mannerisms or actions. Some animals are used as food by humans and other animals, while others are trapped in their furs. Many times people acquire animals as pets, only to neglect or mistreat them.
Animals will have rights when they have the means to enforce them. They don't have the ability to reason as humans do. The human race has such a vast understanding of the necessities for all of the different species of animals to exist. Humans are far superior to any other animal because they are so advanced in technology. One advantage of advanced technology is, humans can store information as reference material. With all of this reference material humans can look back at previous mistakes so they don't do the same thing again. With this knowledge, humans can see and predict outcomes before a choice is made. Humans have the knowledge to enforce their rights, something no other animal has.
Even if animals are like us, human rights for them sound a bit too unrealistic. I guess we should just let all animals roam free and make the whole universe go vegan (nothing against vegans though). In 3 articles, either written by Yong, Braithwaite, or Rifkin, there are solid topics that slowly reel their way into the ongoing and serious debate: Should animals have the same rights as humans? Where I stand is a difficult position. Animals should definitely have rights, but only to a certain extent. Animals feel pain, which is why they should not be abused. Animals are like humans, which is why they should be treated with respect. There is such a thing called “The Circle of Life,” which is why animals are where they stay.
Animals do not have rights because animals do not have voices. If animals had voices they would be considered human beings, which of course, they are not. Animals are actually sub-creatures of the world. My stance on this is derived from the fact that animals are treated just as such of what they are; animals. Animals are designed to accommodate human beings for different purposes. Sometimes animals are there to supplement companionship. In the case of the widow or widower, single person living alone, or the lonely but only child without any siblings, are when animals help ease feelings of abandonment. Animals are also used to entertain us. When children attend a circus affair or a day's visit at the zoo the animals are there for entertainment purposes only.
I will argue that it is a better option for humans to not accept the doctrine of Animal Rights, and I will offer three reasons to support this claim. Firstly, Animal Rights can be limiting to the advancement of human health. Secondly, there are alternatives to accepting the Animal Rights. Finally, Animal Rights does not support animal control, which is important for sustaining the ecosystem. The second point will be discussed as an extension of the first point.