Our Bunnies, Our selves An Exploration of the Ethical Status of Animals

Robin Jacobs

Date of Award

2003

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Humanities

First Advisor

Langston, Douglas

Keywords

Animals, Ethics, Buddhism, Jainism, Empathy, Sympathy, Compassion, Animal Rights

Area of Concentration

Philosophy

Abstract

This thesis examines the problem of grounding the ethical status of nonhuman animals. To deal with this problem, the thoughts of two of the most influential contemporary philosophers, Peter Singer and Tom Regan, were explored; alternative religious approaches to the problem were discussed by examining Buddhism and Jainism; new directions in philosophy and ethics were outlined and then drawn out; and a survey of the current practical problems with the ethical status of non-human animals was given. As a result of these explorations, I argue that the most promising way to establish the ethical status of non-human animals is through a philosophy that emphasizes embodiment as well as a method of ethical decisionmaking that includes empathy, sympathy and love.

Rights

This bibliographic record is available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. The New College of Florida, as creator of this bibliographic record, has waived all rights to it worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law.

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