Animal Rights and Moral Theories

Abstract

The contemporary philosophical arm of the animal rights or liberation movement effectively began in 1975 with Peter Singer’s book Animal Liberation.¹ In this work, and in subsequent development of its ideas,² Singer argues that the moral theory known as utilitarianism can be used to justify and defend the moral claims of non-human animals. According to utilitarianism, a morally good action is one which promotes or produces the greatest amount of pleasure, happiness, or satisfaction of desires, and Singer argues, quite forcibly, that such promotion requires abandoning such practices as animal husbandry, and experimentation upon animals for scientific or commercial purposes. Singer’s case for animal liberation, then, is anchored in his adoption of a utilitarian moral theory.