Animal Categories

Announcements:

1. This class is cancelled Friday 10/4
2. No SMU classes Monday 10/7

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Module 3: Animals and society

Sue Donaldson & Will Kymlicka, Zoopolis: A Political Theory of Animal Rights (2011)

• "zoopolis" means animal city

Individualistic animal ethics--our obligations to animals depend on each individual animal's "intrinsic moral standing" (D&K p. 1).

1. Peter Singer--Does this individual have interests? If so they count equally--based on the seriousness of the interest, not the identity of the interest-owner.
2. Tom Regan--is this animal a subject of a life, with inherent value and rights? (AR theory)

Political approach to animal ethics

1. Intrinsic moral standing does matter--they support AR theory
2. But political status matters too--our obligations depend partly on an animal's relationship to our political community

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Political status, starting with the human case

Picture people who get off a plane

Passport control at DFW
international terminal

They all have  the same rights based on "intrinsic moral standing" (p. 1) – enshrined in Universal Declaration of Human Rights 

1. right to life
2. right to liberty
3. we can't torture or enslave any of them!

They hae different rights based on "relationship to a particular political community" (p. 2)

1. Citizens of the US
• right to enter the US
• right to work here
• right to have their interests represented by government
• right to vote
• right to have access to public spaces (can go there, signs are in your language)
• right to emergency health care
2. In-betweens: "tourists, foreign students, refugee claimants, business visitors or temporary workers" (p. 2). Other in-betweens: undocumented immigrants 
• have all the rights based on "intrinsic moral standing" 
• don't have all of the rights of citizens, but have some
• lose some rights they had in home country 
3. Foreign Nationals--citizens of other countries, living elsewhere
• have set of rights established in other nation

What should we do about the problems of Xs?  Need to know whether the Xs are citizens in-betweens, or foreign nationals.

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D&K say animals are in parallel categories 

1. Animal Citizens -- domesticated animals living with us---we created them, made then helpless and dependent--they are suited to close relationships with us---cats and dogs, farm animals
2. Animal Denizens  -- animals drawn to us but not living with us--not helpless and dependent, not close because we made them that way--squirrels, rats, mice, raccoons, ducks, geese, chimney swifts, swallows
3. Animal wild sovereigns --  live independently in wilderness (inside our borders or outside)--competent to take care of themselves

Note: D&K's political categories are NOT mental capacity based.  They don't subscribe to this kind of hierarchical view:

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Brother Wolf Animal Rescue,
Ashville North Carolina

Application 1: What should we do for animals after/before a natural disaster (Hurricanes Helene, Milton)

1. D&K--should consider interests and rights BUT ALSO political category
• Is it a stray dog--basically a member of our community?
• Is it a mouse, raccoon or swallow--dependent because of its own choices?
• Is it an eagle--competent to take care of itself?
2. Singer--equal interests should receive equal consideration
3. Regan--rights are equal

Possible debate question: Are all animals equal or do they fall into importantly different political categories, as D&K say?