Ethics and the argument for animal rights result in the growing platforms for animal rights debates. Some humanitarians argue for animal welfare. However, the idea of treating animals humanely is vague and means something different to everyone. Animal rights activism gives numerous reasons for having animal rights. The basis for this is on the idea that animals are sentient and that speciesism is wrong. The reason that animal rights activists want animals to have rights is to prevent them from suffering unjustly. Issues of animal rights face challenges, especially on moral and rational standpoints. This results in other arguments against animal rights. The main argument is that animal rights activism either reduces us to the level of animals or attempts to raise them to ours.
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THE MORAL STATUS OF ANIMALS
Specialists in animal rights debates face one vital dilemma. Is there something distinctive about humanity that justifies the idea that humans have moral status while non-humans do not? Answering this question will enable us to better understand the nature of human beings and the proper scope of our moral obligations. It will also guide us to narrow down the exact reasons for having animal rights. Additionally, moral considerations follow moral claims that a being can make on those who can recognize such claims. This results in questions of how we undertake moral and ethical considerations to other humans compared to animals. Should these moral considerations be the same? Such are the arguments against animal rights.
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SPECIESISM, PERSONHOOD AND HUMAN EXCEPTIONALISM
Most arguments against animal rights imply the concept of speciesism. The view that only humans undergo moral considerations refers to as “speciesism.” Discrimination based on race, like discrimination based on species, is prejudicial. Another concept discussed in animal rights debates is human exceptionalism. It suggests that there are distinctly human capacities. Its basis is on these capacities that humans have moral status, and other animals do not. But which capacities mark out all and only humans as the kinds of beings that can experience wrongs? Kant defends personhood as the leading quality that distinguishes humans from other animals. Therefore, this and human consciousness expose the weaknesses of the reasons for having animal rights.
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