Ethics: animals vs. racism
Peter Singer introduces us to the concept of speciesism in his All Animals are Equal. He says,
Racists violate the principle of equality by giving greater weight to the interests of members
of their own race when there is a clash between their interests and the interests of those of
another race. Similarly, the speciesist allows the interests of his own species to override the
greater interests of members of other species. The pattern is the same in each case. (387)
Is speciesism the same as racism in the morally relevant sense? Explain the role sentience
plays in his argument. Given Singer’s argument, how can anyone continue to justify eating
factory-farmed meat? How can you internalize the fact that Singer is most likely right and yet
still eat factory-farmed meat? What is the requirement to acknowledge and adopt sound
philosophical arguments into one’s worldview? Isn’t the acknowledgment and adoption of
claims that you know (or believe) to be truly necessary in order to preserve an internally
consistent sense of self? Explain why or why not.