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Introduction for animal rights essay
Introduction for animal rights essay
Equality of humans and animals
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Animal Rights
“Our treatment of animals will someday be considered barbarous. There cannot be perfect civilization until man realizes that the rights of every living creature are as sacred as his own” (Dr. David Starr Jordan). Animal Rights are in place to protect animals from people who are cruel through neglect, who are physically abusive, and who refuse to obey current laws and regulations. Unfortunately, previous Animal Rights have had little effect to stop the abuse of animals, even though they have been in place for many years. It is time for the rights of animals to enter the consciousness of human beings and for the movement to move forward with more intensity in order to enforce laws already in existence and to bring about stricter
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But First, animal rights comes from the idea that animals have equal importance to humans, and this should be a fundamental right (“Facts” 1). This movement stops the practice of animal subjects from the pain-abuse they suffer from circus, zoos, experimentation, fur trade, and by other practices (Walls 3). Animal right proponent’s believe that animals need love, respect, and care, as well as, legal rights (Wise 2). They also oppose of the testings animals, animals used in entertainment, animals used in cloth manufacturing, and used for food (“Facts” …show more content…
With the milestones of William Wilberforce, who helped support a bill to stop bull and bear baiting that turned into the Marian’s Act that first made it a crime to harm domesticated animals, a law which was the first of its kind came into being (2). But, the two people who deserve recognition for starting the animal rights movement are Australian and American philosophers, Peter Singer and Tom Regan, who respectively believe, there was the need to minimize or avoid causing suffering, as well as, believing amongst animals had moral rights (3). They were soon joined by physicians, lawyers, veterinarians, and others who worked to initiate animal rights and laws (3). The humane movement-that was based on the idea of what the philosopher’s started- began in the 1970s and ushered in what is known as the animal rights movement today (Walls 2). The movement borrowed ideas popularized by other movements and used them to oppose animal testing, the wearing of fur, hunting, and factory farming (2). This movement has helped win some famous animal right cases, which has prevented people from getting away with the abuse done to the poor
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.
Many philosophers including Tom Regan and Mary Anne Warren disagree with Carl Cohen and say that animals do have rights. According to Warren’s weak animal rights position, morality and reason are maximized where no sentient creatures cane be killed without good reason. Tom Regan’s strong animal rights policy is comparatively unreasonable because it advocates for halting all killing because every sentient being has value. Prior to coming to the conclusion that animals do have rights, Regan dispelled three wrong routes on coming to this conclusion. Animals should have the opportunity to pursue their satisfactions, not be deliberately harmed, and not killed without a good enough reason. In this paper I will argue that animals do have some rights according to Warren’s weak animal rights position.
The article mainly focuses on this issue, not mentioning the aspects of animal rights. The authors argue their points well but can have counter-arguments against some
Regan, T. and P. Singer, eds. Animal Rights and Human Obligations 2/e (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1989)
Silberman, Morton S. "Animal Welfare, Animal Rights: The Past, the Present, and the 21st Century." Journal of Zoo Animal Medicine 19.4 (1988): 161-67. JSTOR. Web. 28 Jan. 2014. .
Animal rights has been a great controversy for a long time. This topic is talked about in Tom Regan’s article entitled, “Animal Rights, Human Wrongs” and Linda Hasselstrom’s piece titled “The Cow Versus the Animal Rights Activist”. Each author debates how human benefits defend the killings of animals. Regan argues that harming animals is unjust. Hasselstrom believes that animals can be killed to benefit humans and still be loved with care. Both authors use ethos, pathos, and logos in different and similar ways.
... animals in technologically intensive economies and threats to the very surgical of wild animals species” (Fellenz 74-77). Even after all this, the number of animals used in agriculture and research grows by the billions every year, in the United States. “Many animals have financial value to humans. Livestock farmers, ranchers, pharmaceutical companies, zookeepers, circus trainers, and breeders are among the many people who have a financial interest in the animal trade. If humans were to stop using animals, these people would be out of work. Many others would be deprived of their favorite sport and leisure activities” (Evans). Thanks to the many efforts done, by the many people in England and the United States, many other counties began creating animals rights as well, like Asia and South America. Still to this day, do animals rights organizations flourish worldwide.
As an advocate of animal rights, Tom Regan presents us with the idea that animals deserve to be treated with equal respect to humans. Commonly, we view our household pets and select exotic animals in different regard as oppose to the animals we perceive as merely a food source which, is a notion that animal rights activists
Lee, M. Cushmaan, C. Ames. “Counterpoint: Animals Do Not Have Rights.” Point Of View: Animal Rights
Man created our human rights of people and it is only man that uses this concept. The human race needs to have the obligation to set limits for animal rights. Society has accepted the cruelty of animals and we need to unwind this way of thinking. We need to punish those who disregard these terms and hold them fully accountable for their actions. Legal action needs to be pushed and weighed heavily. Animals are beautiful creatures and we should take a little time to see what they offer besides food and clothing and appreciate the beauty of nature. It is a beautiful thing when you take time see what is around you and what you take from it even if it is just animal. We must remember animals are breathing living mammals just like us so therefore they must feel and think also.
A. A. “The Case Against Animal Rights.” Animal Rights Opposing Viewpoints. Ed. Janelle Rohr. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1989.
Influential individuals such as Bergh and White have paved the way for the modern animal rights movement, which seeks to protect the rights and welfare of animals and promote a more compassionate and ethical relationship between humans and
Katz, Jon. "Animals Need Better Care, Not Equal Rights." Slate (5 Mar. 2004). Rpt. in The Rights of Animals. Ed. Auriana Ojeda. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2004. Current Controversies. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 25 Mar. 2011.
animal welfare controversy is the question of whether humans have the right over animals or if the animals themselves have rights.This questions fuels countless other debates regarding animals. This would mean that humans would not have ownership over animals in any way. No use of them for food, clothing, experimentation, companionship, or any interference what-so-ever. To claim that man 's use of animals is immoral… “ is to elevate moral levels of an animal higher than ourselves”, which is a flagrant contradiction (Locke 132). Animals should not be given a higher moral standing than humans. Animal rights are completely based on this one thought. In general animal welfare claims that animals are below humans, giving humans ownership and more rights than animals. Many do not understand the “rights” being discussed. The “rights” that people continue debating about are not the right to vote, freedom of speech, or the right to bear arms. It is the right to not be taken for food against your will, be used for clothing or experimentation without consent. Animals do not have the moral capacity to obtain these rights and freedoms. To elevate animals to equality with humans by applying human interpretations of morality. Author John Katz was sent a letter by an animal rights activist asking him to change his upcoming book to call humans animal “guardians”, instead of his frequently used label as “owner” (Katz 74). Showing that these activists do not believe we as humans should not have ownership over animals, but more of a shared living environment where everyone and everything is
Animals are so often forgotten when it comes to the many different levels of basic rights. No, they can’t talk, or get a job, nor can they contribute to society the way humans can. Yet they hold a special place in their owners’ hearts, they can without a doubt feel, show their different emotions, and they can most definitely love. In recent years there has been a massive increase in animal rights awareness, leading to a better understanding and knowledge in the subject of the humane treatment of animals. Where do humans draw the line between the concern of equality, and simple survival?