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All Animals are Equal- Review

All Animals are Equal- Review. Singer’s Argument. (1) We treat all humans equally. (2) To treat humans equally is to give equal consideration to their interests, irrespective of their intelligence, etc.

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All Animals are Equal- Review

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  1. All Animals are Equal- Review

  2. Singer’s Argument (1) We treat all humans equally. (2) To treat humans equally is to give equal consideration to their interests, irrespective of their intelligence, etc. (3) If we grant equal consideration to humans, irrespective of their intelligence, etc., then it follows that we should give equal weight to the interests of all beings who have interests, irrespective of their intelligence, etc. • Unless we can illustrate that ALL human beings possess a morally relevant characteristic that nonhuman animals lack, which make their interests more important. (4) Nonhuman animals have interests. Therefore, we should give equal weight to the interests of nonhuman animals.

  3. Remember: according to a Preference Utilitarian, giving equal consideration to the interests of beings does not entail that a being will have rights! Nor does it entail that the lives of all beings have equal value. Be able to explain WHY!

  4. Why Animals? • Philosophy ought to question the basic assumption of the age. Thinking through, critically and carefully what most people take for grant, I think, is the chief task of philosophy, and it is this task that makes philosophy a worthwhile activity. • …..a failure of philosophy is to refuse to challenge accepted beliefs.

  5. Cognitive Dissonance • Extreme mental discomfort one experiences when she holds two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values at the same time…. (1) It is wrong to cause unnecessary suffering. (2) It is alright to eat animals. • We might also experience CD when our beliefs/values do not match our behaviors. (1) One believes that smoking is unhealthy, but (2) One smokes anyway.

  6. In what ways have you experienced cognitive dissonance in your life (in regard to ethics)?

  7. …. Cognitive dissonance is uncomfortable because human beings pride themselves on being rational and consistent • As a response, then, human beings will: • To try to reduce the dissonance and achieve consonance …..one way of doing this is: (2) actively avoid situations and information which would likely increase the dissonance

  8. The ways in which we often respond to cognitive dissonance….. 1. Change behavior/cognition(Ex: Stop eating the doughnut) 2. Justify behavior/cognition by changing the conflicting cognition(Ex: "I'm allowed to cheat every once in a while") 3. Justify behavior/cognition by adding new cognitions(Ex: "I'll spend 30 extra minutes at the gym to work it off") 4. Ignore/Deny any information that conflicts with existing beliefs(Ex: "I did not eat that donut. I always eat healthy.") (Leon Festinger) *In regard to what you wrote down, how do you typically find yourself responding to this cognitive dissonance? *Ethically speaking, which do you think is the most appropriate response?

  9. Check on Learning

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