According to the dictionary, ethics is defined as the study of what is morally right and wrong (www.dictionary.cambridge.org). The term animal ethics is also believed to be what is right and wrong based on beliefs, values, and morals of animals. The ethical dilemmas arise when two opposing points of view address the issue of rights, equality, and how animals should be treated.
The two philosophers with two different opposing points of view are Peter Singer and Tom Regan. The utilitarian approach is Singer and with the Kantian approach is Regan. Both philosophers are similar but, slightly different. Singer and Regan are similar in the fight for animal rights. The difference between the two philosophers is that Singer view is on animal equality and Tom Regan view is on both humans and animals rights.
Utilitarian in dictionary describes as something that is moral or good when it produces something good for the greatest amount of people. Utilitarian has two theories that include greatest happiness and the principle of utility. The greatest happiness shows the least amount of pain and overall for the greatest number people. In other words, doing something good than harm for the greatest number of people than it benefits someone rather than doing something bad is can harm someone. The principle of utility is the action that shows the maximizing pleasure and minimizing suffering. The end results of utilitarianism were to justify morals for overall happiness.
Peter Singer was one of the most controversial philosophers and is a well-known welfare utilitarian. Singer believed non-humans should share the same rights as humans. Therefore, Singer points out that both non-human animals and humans endure suffering and pain believes animals deserve equal rights as humans. For most people, don’t agree with Singers argument based on the example of a dog don’t know what it means to vote so they don’t have a right to vote so it is not the same equal consideration. Although Singer made some good points, he must consider equal consideration is the same as equality.
Animal Ethics
Tom Regan was a well-known philosopher for his study of animal rights. Regan best works became a classical text that called The Case of Animals Rights (1983). Although, Singer popular work of Animal Liberation started to rise above Regan works. This is what caused a debatable issue of animal rights between the two philosophers. Unlike Singer, Regan disagrees with utilitarianism theory based on pain and suffering are good or bad that produces the maximizing amount of good and minimizing the amount of bad.
Regan approach was the value of life for both humans and animals. Regan views that humans and animals have rights because of both of them are subject-to-life. Subject-to-life describes as having feelings, beliefs, desires, and goals. Another analogy of Regan is an individual have something different and unique about each individual which is called inherent value. Regan disagrees with how the animal is treated. Regan states that animals should not be used for resources for humans such as food, testing, hunting, or money.
Conclusion
Peter Singer and Tom Regan have made some good valid points with the different outcome they are exceptional philosophers who study and fight for animal rights and equality. Many do believe non-human animals should be treated with care and respect just as humans. Although non-human animals should be treated well there are still individuals believed non-human animals are not an equal consideration as humans to a certain extent.
In conclusion, learning about animal ethics should help educate, fight, and being aware of how animals are being treated and being violated and to recognize how ethics is part of human nature to do the right thing.
