Thank you Nderhe Paulin for such an incendiary question! The way you have asked the question assumes, first, that humans have chosen to reduce themselves to the state of an animal and, second, that they should not have done so. I assume this is not a positive choice, since your use of the word “reduce” […]
Why has man chosen to reduce himself to the state of an animal? Read More
Thank you, Ajit Deshmukh, for your question. There are a few different ways to answer this question: one, to ask whether animals have a right to life; another, to ask whether humans have a duty of care towards them (non-human animals, that is); another still, to ask whether there is any reason to suppose that
Is killing an animal wrong? Read More
A question inspired by Tiger King. Thank you, Ela Özcan, for a very important question. The problem of responsibility in broadcasting is pretty complex. Since Ela’s question was inspired by Tiger King, I would like to analyze it in terms of the (mis)representation of Carole Baskin in the series. One of the most specific controversies
‘Considerations: (1) cats are carnivores; (2) pet food is derived from factory farmed animals; (3) factory farming has implications for the suffering of animals and the environment. As someone committed to reducing animal suffering but also loves a couple kittens he’s fostering, I’m pretty stuck on this.’ I can relate very much to this question.
Is it ethical to adopt a cat? Read More
If predation is necessary within various ecosystems and predators have no regard for the well-being of their prey, is it not ethical for humans to replace the role of predators to mitigate suffering? This question is a great example of the existential crisis of our species. Where do we fit in? As predators, it is
Should we replace predators to mitigate suffering? Read More
Thank you, Heather Bennett, for sending us this beautiful painting. I appreciate that you have not posed any specific questions about this picture. This not only gives me a lot of flexibility on how to approach it, but it is also very respectful to art itself. Is it not that art can produce its meaning
What do you make of this picture? Read More
Thank you, Elle Flinn-Shephard, for such a dilemma! This question touches many important ethical issues. It looks a lot like the famous trolley problem: Imagine that you are the driver of a runaway train. Up ahead you see 5 people tied to the track. If you do nothing, the train will kill them all. But
Thank you, Joey Daly, for such an emotive question! Whenever wondering whether something is possible, a good place to start is with experience; for if it has ever manifested in experience, then of course it must be possible. When wondering whether animals can be cruel, then, we may start by asking: Has an animal ever
Can animals be cruel? Read More
