November 11, 2008
Though few people deny the sentience of non-human animals and generally hold that animal cruelty with no purpose is wrong, most believe that any human interest or desire, except the pure desire to cause pain, is enough to override this.
Christine Korsgaard delivered the 2008 Dewey Lecture in Law and Philosophy entitled "Interacting with Animals: A Kantian Account". Korsgaard is unhappy with utilitarian approaches to animal welfare and sought to provide a Kantian account of our obligations to other animals.
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Gary, Please find a unique appreciation of the non-humans via this reference.
http://www.fearnomorezoo.org/literature/observe_learn.php
Plus a quote from another essay on the ethics of killing.
"The negative exploitation and killing of non-human beings by human beings violates the heart of one and all. Therefore, all should take care to positively morally righten and pacify the relations between "self" and all non-human beings, in order to maximally avoid and prevent the negative exploitation and non-necessary (or otherwise inhumane) killing of non-humans beings by human bengs.
The negative exploitation, and progressive degradation, and potential destruction of the fundamental order of natural environment on which all Earth-life depends violates the heart and directly threatens the life of one and all. Therefore, all should always take care (and always exercise "self"-discipline) to always actively participate in positive service and global cooperation that respects and perpetuates the fundamental order of the natural environment of Earth-world."