Confusion about Speciesism and Moral Status

Singer Peter “Animal Liberation,” (The New York Review, 1975).

This idea comes from David Hull's article “A Matter of Individuality.”

This idea comes from Philip Kitcher's article “Species.”

Hull David L. “A Matter of Individuality,” in Philosophy of Science, Vol. 45, No. 3 (Sep., 1978), 335–360.

Kitcher Philip “Species,” in Philosophy of Science, Vol. 51, No. 2 (Jun., 1984), 308–333.

Philosophy of Science, Kitcher.

Philosophy of Science, Kitcher.

Philosophy of Science, Kitcher.

Philosophy of Science, Kitcher.

Philosophy of Science, Kitcher.

Philosophy of Science, Kitcher.

Philosophy of Science, Kitcher., p. 331.

Philosophy of Science, Singer.

Recall the example of the “other Earth” and the “other human-like creatures” on it. The “other human-like creatures” would be human beings, but not Homo sapiens.

At least not actualized during the individual's earthly life, that is.

For example: God and angels are persons but are not human beings.

For example: injury, Alzheimer's disease, retardation, etc.

Plantinga Alvin Warrant and Proper Function. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993), p 221

All of the Plantinga material is found in Chapter 11 of: Alvin Plantinga, Warrant and Proper Function (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993).

Nor do I think that these things actually possess the intellective powers that human beings possess.

I am indebted to David Hershenov for his extremely valuable comments on this paper.

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Kitcher Philip “Species,” in Philosophy of Science vol. 51, no. 2 (Jun., 1984), 308–333.

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Plantinga Alvin Warrant and Proper Function. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993.

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Singer Peter “Animal Liberation” in The New York Review, 1975.

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