TOM Regan’s argument FOR ANIMAL RIGHTS

1. The Rights View TOM Regan’s argument FOR ANIMAL RIGHTS

2. Terminology Moral agent:  can think/act morally, can be held responsible for actions (most of us, but not babies; not people with certain severe mental disabilities) Moral patient: can’t think/act morally, shouldn’t be held responsible, but can be treated right and wrong (e.g. babies, people with certain severe mental disabilities) Subject-of-a-life (SOAL)—a someone, not a something (see Regan p. 22 for mental capacities that are involved) Inherent value—value for its own sake, as opposed to instrumental value for others Intrinsic value—e.g. pleasure is intrinsically good, pain is intrinsically bad Basic rights--e.g. rights such as right to life, right to liberty Non-basic rights--e.g.  right to vote, right to an education

3. moral human “higher” other agents moral animals animals patients EINSTEIN GAGA JOE BABY MARY CHIMP DOG FISH BEE THE HUMAN/ANIMAL DIVIDE

4. moral human “higher” other agents moral animals animals patients EINSTEIN GAGA JOE BABY MARY CHIMP DOG FISH BEE 1, 2 EQUAL INHERENT VALUE 1. All moral agents have inherent value. 2. In fact, they have equal inherent value.

5. moral human “higher” other agents moral animals animals patients EINSTEIN GAGA JOE BABY MARY CHIMP DOG FISH BEE EQUAL INHERENT VALUE YIELDS 3 EQUAL BASIC RIGHTS 3. Because of their equal inherent value, moral agents have equal basic rights.

6. moral human “higher” other agents moral animals animals patients EINSTEIN GAGA JOE BABY MARY CHIMP DOG FISH BEE SUBJECTS-OF-A-LIFE 4 YIELDS EQUAL INHERENT VALUE YIELDS EQUAL BASIC RIGHTS 4. The equal inherent value of moral agents must be due to their being subjects-of-a-life. (What else could it be based on?)

7. moral human “higher” other agents moral animals animals patients EINSTEIN GAGA JOE BABY MARY CHIMP DOG FISH BEE SUBJECTS-OF-A-LIFE 5 YIELDS EQUAL INHERENT VALUE YIELDS EQUAL BASIC RIGHTS 5. Human moral patients are subjects-of-a-life too.

8. moral human “higher” other agents moral animals animals patients EINSTEIN GAGA JOE BABY MARY CHIMP DOG FISH BEE SUBJECTS-OF-A-LIFE YIELDS EQUAL INHERENT VALUE 6 YIELDS EQUAL BASIC RIGHTS 6. So human moral patients also have equal inherent value and equal basic rights.

9. moral human “higher” other agents moral animals animals patients EINSTEIN GAGA JOE BABY MARY CHIMP DOG FISH BEE SUBJECTS-OF-A-LIFE 7 YIELDS EQUAL INHERENT VALUE YIELDS EQUAL BASIC RIGHTS 7. Some “higher” animals are subjects-of-a-life too. (There’s no major mental difference between human moral patients and “higher” animals.)

10. moral human “higher” other agents moral animals animals patients EINSTEIN GAGA JOE BABY MARY CHIMP DOG FISH BEE SUBJECTS-OF-A-LIFE YIELDS EQUAL INHERENT VALUE YIELDS 8 EQUAL BASIC RIGHTS 8. So at least “higher animals” have equal basic rights –i.e. equal to those of human moral patients and human moral agents.

11. moral human “higher” other agents moral animals animals patients EINSTEIN GAGA JOE BABY MARY CHIMP DOGFISH BEE ? SUBJECTS-OF-A-LIFE YIELDS EQUAL INHERENT VALUE YIELDS EQUAL BASIC RIGHTS

12. Carl Cohen OBJECTIONS

13. moral human “higher” other agents moral animals animals patients EINSTEIN GAGA JOE BABY MARY CHIMP DOG FISH BEE SUBJECTS-OF-A-LIFE 4 YIELDS EQUAL INHERENT VALUE CARL COHEN OBJECTS TO PREMISE 4 YIELDS EQUAL BASIC RIGHTS 4. The equal inherent value of moral agents must be due to their being subjects-of-a-life. (What else could it be based on?)

14. moral human “higher” other agents moral animals animals patients EINSTEIN GAGA JOE BABY MARY CHIMP DOG FISH BEE MORALITY, SELF-AWARENESS, REASON YIELDS EQUAL INHERENT VALUE COHEN: INHERENT VALUE/RIGHTS COME FROM DISTINCTIVELY HUMAN CAPACITIES YIELDS EQUAL BASIC RIGHTS

15. moral human “higher” other agents moral animals animals patients EINSTEIN GAGA JOE BABY MARY CHIMP DOG FISH BEE MORALITY, SELF-AWARENESS, REASON YIELDS REGAN : THIS CAN’T BE THE BASIS OF INHERENT VALUE—IT WOULD MEAN BABY AND MARY LACK INHERENT VALUE AND RIGHTS EQUAL INHERENT VALUE YIELDS EQUAL BASIC RIGHTS

16. moral human “higher” other agents moral animals animals patients EINSTEIN GAGA JOE BABY MARY CHIMP DOG FISH BEE MORALITY, SELF-AWARENESS, REASON YIELDS COHEN: BABY AND MARY BELONG TO THE SAME SPECIES AS THE MORAL AGENTS, SO HAVE THE SAME INHERENT VALUE AND RIGHTS EQUAL INHERENT VALUE YIELDS EQUAL BASIC RIGHTS

17. moral human “higher” other agents moral animals animals patients EINSTEIN GAGA JOE BABY MARY CHIMP DOG FISH BEE MORALITY, SELF-AWARENESS, REASON YIELDS REGAN: COHEN’S APPEAL TO SPECIES IS JUST FLAGRANT SPECIESISM EQUAL INHERENT VALUE YIELDS EQUAL BASIC RIGHTS

18. moral human “higher” other agents moral animals animals patients EINSTEIN GAGA JOE BABY MARY CHIMP DOG FISH BEE 4 SUBJECTS-OF-A-LIFE 5 7 YIELDS EQUAL INHERENT VALUE 1, 2 6 8 3 YIELDS EQUAL BASIC RIGHTS OTHER OBJECTIONS???

19. REGAN’S LIFEBOAT CASE

20. Imagine they are at sea and sinking fast. If one is tossed off, the rest will survive. Regan says: • This is a special case—a “prevention case” • All have the same inherent value. All have the same rights. • But somebody’s rights have to be overridden. • Regan thinks the dog has the least to lose, assuming these are typical humans with typical lifespans. • The dog must go! • He denies this is speciesist.