Posted: February 18th, 2022

Should Animals be Treated Equally?

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Should Animals be Treated Equally?
The equal treatment of animals has been a contentious issue, with experts on the extreme sides giving valid arguments as to why this should happen or why it should not happen. Peter Singer, a supporter of animal equality, indicated that while the world has come a long way in matters of equality, matters surrounding animals’ ethics and treatment are still lagging (Schacter). He indicates while animals have interests and pain levels just as human beings, the latter still choose to give them less consideration as they use them for recreation purposes such as eating, wearing, and experimenting on them. Opposers indicate that moral rights only work within a moral community (BBC). Therefore, since animals do not behave morally, then they really do not deserve any moral treatment. Notably, it is prudent to note that equality is a basic principle and not an assertion of fact. Therefore, the essence of this equality principle is that all those affected by human beings’ actions, including animals, get an equal weight of their moral deliberations and interests.
Singer drew his argument from Bentham, stating that the equality principle obliges human beings to count the interest of suffering as equivalent to the “like suffering” of other beings (Villanueva, 5). The principle does not need animals to receive equal treatment such as awarding them voting rights; rather, it needs them to be given equal consideration., issues such as pain and suffering are cruel and need to be mitigated or prevented entirely regardless of the being’s race, sex or species. The intensity and duration of the pain will determine how bad it is, but as long as a human being or animal feels some form of pain, it is equally bad. It is not important to compare the pain felt by members of distinct species (Villanueva, 5). Therefore, animal use and exploitation in the contemporary world causes pain and suffering to the animals, yet it could easily be prevented. Animals need to be respected and be awarded their equality interest according to Singer’s argument.
From a feminist perspective, animal equality has been considered a feminist issue. The objectification and exploitation that the lives and bodies of animals are subjected to are similar to the patriarchal issues that feminism is constantly fighting; it is about particular beings having their interests dismissed and being subjected to unequal treatment so that other beings that have considered themselves superior could benefit (Ko). The unequal society has led human beings to be comfortable with problematic behaviors such as deflecting responsibility for the decisions they have the power to make. Nonetheless, feminists indicate that it was time that human beings keenly considered their actions, including the food they eat. Eating meat and consulting other animal products meant propagator g for the unequal treatment of animals which needs to stop.
The commentators against animals receiving equal treatment give several reasons to defend the position. R.G Frey is one critique of Singer’s argument, stating that non-human animals’ interests must be considered while judging the effects of an action based on the fact that animals do not have interests. Frey indicates that interests depend on desire, which only exists when there is a corresponding belief (Kriesberg). Animals do not hold any beliefs since a belief state needs to hold a second-order belief which is the belief about the belief and only happens with language. The lack of language and consequently beliefs and desires as human beings mean the animals do not deserve equal treatment.
Notably, the author does agree with Singer’s sentiments that animals need to be treated with equal treatment despite the differences between the two species. When animals are mistreated, human beings violate their duty of cultivating morally good dispositions. Equality as a principle should guide human beings and their actions to ensure that they are not subjecting anything or anyone to unfair treatment since they are different. To this effect, animals will need to receive equal treatment.

Works Cited
BBC. “Animal Rights.” BBC, 2014, www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/animals/rights/rights_1.shtml.
Ko, Aph. “5 Reasons Why Animal Rights Are A Feminist Issue.” Everyday Feminism, 13 Aug. 2020, everydayfeminism.com/2014/12/animal-rights-feminist-issue/.
Kriesberg, Nell. “Introductory Ethics Tutorial.” ORI – The Office of Research Integrity | ORI – The Office of Research Integrity, ori.hhs.gov/education/products/ncstate/basicethics.htm.
Schacter, Joanna. “Peter Singer Advocates for Animal Rights.” The Harvard Crimson, 10 Nov. 2013, www.thecrimson.com/article/2013/11/10/peter-singer-advocates-for-animal-rights/.
Villanueva, Gonzalo. “Against Animal Liberation? Peter Singer and His Critics.” Sophia 57.1 (2018): 5-19.

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