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Lecturer(s)
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Vendra Maria Cristina Clorinda, Mgr. PhD.
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Course content
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The course will be divided into three parts. (1) The first part will be focused on the moral questions about animals with reference to the ancient and the modern history of Western philosophy. Specifically, it will consider the works of Porphyry, Aristotle, Descartes, and Kant, and it will discuss the overcoming of the human-animal dichotomy. (2) The second part will examine the major methodological approaches in the contemporary development of animal ethics. First, it will discuss the moral standing of animals, their inclusion in the moral community, and the question of animal minds. Then, it will analyze the core concepts and ethical theories about animals developed by the exponents of animal rights, animal liberation, virtue ethics applied to animals' treatment, and capability theory. (3) The third part will be directed towards the discussion of some of the current issues in animal ethics: the distinction between pets and companion animals, the place of animals in farms, zoo, homes, the use of animals for scientific experiments, the moral problem of eating and hunting animals. Finally, the course will consider some open reflections significant for the future developments of animal ethics. Course Outline Part 1 (Week 1 - Week 3) - Animals and Ethics: Historical Debates 1 Introduction: what is animal ethics? 2 Animals and ethics in the history of philosophy. First part: ancient sources (Porphyry, Aristotle) 3 Animals and ethics in the history of philosophy. Second part: modern sources (Descartes, Kant) 4 Deconstructing the Human - Animal Dichotomy Part 2 (Week 5 - Week 10) - Animal and Ethics: Methodological Approaches 5 Animals' moral standing and their inclusion into the moral community 6 Animal minds 7 Animal rights - deontology (Tom Regan) 8 Animal liberation - utilitarianism (Peter Singer) 9 Virtue ethics: compassion, love, kindness towards animals 10 Capability theory: animal thinking Part 3 (Week 11 - Week 14) - Animal and Ethics: Current Problems 11 Pets or companion animals? Animals in farms, zoos, human homes 12 The use of animals for scientific research 13 Eating and hunting animals 14 Conclusion: the future of animal ethics
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Learning activities and teaching methods
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unspecified, unspecified
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Learning outcomes
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This course aims at offering an introduction to animal ethics through the consideration of its historical development and current issues (e.g., zoos, companion animals, animals in agriculture and food production, use of laboratory animals, etc.). Why is not acceptable to treat animals essentially as resources for human use? What does it mean that animals are members of the moral community? Are animals' interests always subordinated to our interests? Can we defend the way we treat animals? What could be an ideal way of relating to animals? Are animals equal? Are the notions of suffering and pain sufficient to develop an ethical consideration of animals? How animal ethics can be done? These questions will be discussed with reference to authors, ideas, arguments, and moral theories that have shaped and currently continue to animate provocative debates in animal ethics. The course will, then, offer students the language and methods to develop a critical thinking about ethical questions concerning animals.
Communication, dialogical skills, ability to read and discuss in English, adaptability to different methodologies and perspectives
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Prerequisites
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none
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Assessment methods and criteria
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unspecified
Evaluations of students in this course will be based on: (1) participation, which includes active discussion in class, attendance (80%), class assignments. In case of absence, the student has to communicate it and to ask the professor for any assignments or key discussions concerning the missed lesson. (2) An in-class presentation (10-15 minutes) and a final paper (6-8 pages). Additional information will be provided at the beginning of the course.
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Recommended literature
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Angus Taylor. Animals and Ethics: An Overview of the Philosophical Debate. Peterborough: Broadview Press. 2009.
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Bob Fischer. Animal Ethics: A Contemporary Introduction. New York: Routledge. 2021.
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Tom L. Beauchamp. The Oxford Handbook of Animal Ethics. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2014.
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