Life and death

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. No office hours today
2. Our first debate will be next Friday

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SINGER'S PRINCIPLE OF EQUALITY

Equal interests should receive equal consideration, regardless of the race, gender, or species of the interest holder.

1. 100 units of pain in a normal human
2. 100 units of pain in a cognitively impaired human
3. 100 units of pain in a dog
4. 50 units of pain in a cat 

Each should be considered according to their interests, not their race, gender, or species.  

Is Singer's view that animal lives are worth just as much as human lives? The section we read for today addresses that question.

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PAINLESS KILLING

1. Baby Theresa--anencephaly, killing painlessly for organs (actual 90s case)
2. Pig --normal pig mind, killing painlessly for organs (being done today)
3. Normal human --normal human mind, killed painlessly for organs (movie: The Island)

Killing Baby Theresa vs. killing pig

1. Most people think Theresa's life is sacrosanct but it's ok to kill pig
2. Singer: that's speciesist, not allowed under POE; if anything the pig has a greater interest in living

Killing pig vs. killing normal human

1. most people think killing a normal human is worse
2. Singer:  I can actually agree with that without being speciesist or violating POE

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PASSAGES

Animal Liberation Now, p. 25

Animal Liberation Now, p. 25-26

 

Animal Liberation Now, p. 27

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DISCUSSION: HUMANS VS. ANIMALS

Singer: normal human have agreater interest in living than normal animals. 

Is that view speciesist?

NORMAL HUMANS VS. IMPAIRED HUMANS 

Singer: normal humans have more of an interest in living than cognitively impaired humans.  

He says most of us would save the normal human, if we could only save one. (p. 27)  

Is that true?  Does a normal human really have a greater interest in living?