The moral menagerie : philosophy and animal rights / Marc R. Fellenz.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Fellenz, Marc R., 1963-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Animal rights--Philosophy.

Animal rights.

Physical Description:

301 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Urbana : University of Illinois Press, [2007]

Summary:

The Moral Menagerie offers a broad philosophical analysis of the recent debate over animal rights. Marc Fellenz locates the debate in its historical and social contexts, traces its roots in the history of Western philosophy, and analyzes the most important arguments that have been offered on both sides. Fellenz argues that the debate has been philosophically valuable for focusing attention on fundamental problems in ethics and other areas of philosophy, and for raising issues of concern to both Anglo-American and continental thinkers. More provocatively, he also argues that the form the debate often takes--attempting to extend our traditional human-centered moral categories to cover other animals--is ultimately inadequate. Making use of the critical perspectives found in environmentalism, feminism, and postmodernism, he concludes that taking animals seriously requires a more radical reassessment of our moral framework than the concept of "animal rights" implies.

Contents:

Introduction

Why care about animals?

Broader philosophical considerations

Utilitarian arguments : the value of animal experience

Deontological arguments : do animals have natural rights?

Aristotelian arguments : animal telos and human aretē

Contractarian arguments : animals outside the state of nature

Extensionism and its limits

The call and the circle : the animal in postmodern thought

Ecophilosophy : deep ecology and ecofeminism

Sacrifice and self-overcoming

The child, the hunter, and the artist.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references(pages 285-289) and index.

ISBN:

9780252031182

0252031180

9780252073601

0252073606

OCLC:

71506937