AGENDA
- Get acquainted with some animal shows
- Discuss possible perspectives for evaluating them
- In groups, discuss perspectives
- RRs after Thanksgiving: RR 35 is optional and there may be one more that's required.
- Reminder: give the rodeo group a good audience on Friday!
Animal shows
- Circus
- Bullfighting
- Bullriding
- Rodeo (next time)
- Sea world orca show (see the movie Blackfish)
- Dog fighting (illegal)
- entertainment
- sports
- gambling
- rituals, ceremonies
(1) Based on welfare: assess whether animals have enough food, water, space, freedom from pain, etc., to meet their basic "welfare" needs
Reform the show so animals have basic welfare...
Or retire the show if it's incompatible with basic welfare
Note: does the Animal Welfare Act regulate animal shows? See below.
(2) Based on liberty: captivity is harmful, liberty is good for animals, either instrumentally or intrinsically or both.
Liberty is instrumentally good: it's needed for basic welfare
Liberty is intrinsically good: it's needed even if the animal has basic welfare
Reform the show so animals have enough liberty...
Or retire the show if it's incompatible with liberty
(3) Based on dignity (four types)
All animals require "animal dignity"--must have the full life that's natural for the species
All wild animals require "wild dignity"--must live their own lives without human interference
Reform the show so all animals have "animal dignity" and wild animals have "wild dignity"...
Or retire the show if it's incompatible with dignity
(4) Based on culture
- Assume that whatever else matters (welfare, liberty, dignity), human culture also matters
- Reform the show so culture is preserved, but animals are better off to the extent possible...
- Or retire the show if it's both bad for animals and no longer central to the culture
