Wenar
Will Theory of Rights: the single function of a right is to give the right-holder discretion over the duty of another. - only agents with a capacity for autonomous choice may hold rights
Raz
interest theory of rights: (i) X can have rights and (ii) other things being equal, an aspect of X’s well-being (his interest) is a sufficient reason for holding some other persons to be under a duty
Singer
- we are speciesist - “no matter the nature of the being, the principle of equality requires that the suffering be counted equally with the like suffering - in so far as rough comparisons can be made - of any other being”
- the way we treat animals is analogous to slavery
- fundamental is determined by sentience/ basic cognitive abilities.
- utilitarian
- sometimes human ability to understand the world makes certain kinds of harm worse (e.g. psychological torture), but an animals inability to understand might also make their pain worse (e.g. not knowing why they are imprisoned)
Regan
being the subject of a life determines fundamental value - this means “beliefs, desires, memories, perceptions” etc.
- argument from liminal cases.
Kymlica and Davidson
Special Rights: Zoopolis: domesticated animals should be citizens - they are capable and deserving of cooperative relations with humans - we currently treat them as slaves. Wild animals should not be interfered - considered sovereigns of their ecosystems.
Gary Francione
Animals should be fully emancipated not made into fellow-citizens. humans will always treat them as secondary.
Norcross
An analogy about puppies and chocolate
Benjamin franklin
“animals eat each other, so why shouldn’t we eat them”