STUDY QUESTIONS (PART II)

10/29 Animal Experimentation

AL 25-37, 69-74; AE chapters 1, 13, and 15.

(1) At the beginning of the chapter, Singer describes some very gruesome experiments on animals. Later in the chapter, how does he explain the willingness of researchers and lab workers to conduct these experiments, despite (what Singer sees as) their pointlessness and cruelty?

(2) Both Singer and White try to stir up emotion in their readers. Is that legitimate in both cases? In neither? In one but not the other?

(3) Rollins makes the seemingly benign suggestion that animal research ought to be permitted only when benefits outweigh costs, including costs to animals. What is the “obvious response” he discusses, and what is his reply to it?

11/5 Animals and the Law

AR chapters 1 and 2.

(4) Why does Wise compare slavery and our use of animals, in the first couple of sections? What point is he trying to make? On what basis does Wise say that we literally use animals as our slaves? If he is right about this, must he think that animal slavery and human slavery are morally equivalent, that one is no worse than the other?

(6) Wise says that the law divides the universe into “persons” and “things.” There is no third category. Heretofore, all animals have been considered things. What are the prerequisites for being a person, on Wise’s view? How is his view on this like Kant’s and different from Kant’s?

(7) Does Wise think that all animals have equal practical autonomy, or that some species have more than others? Explain how he uses this concept to classify animals.

(8) Why does Posner think that Wise’s “cognitive” approach to animal rights is problematic?

(9) Wise says that “ethical argument is and should be powerless against tenacious moral instincts.” Consider the various points he makes along theee lines, and whether you agree with him.

(10)What is the “humanocentric” approach to animal rights that Posner advocates?

11/12 Animals and the Law

AR chapters 3 and 11.

(11) At the beginning of Singer’s response to Posner, he quotes him as saying “I believe that ethical argument is and should be powerless against tenacious moral instincts.” What specifically does Singer point to as the problem with this sentence?

(12) Posner talks about “the liberating power of commodification.” In other words, he thinks it’s beneficial for animals that they should remain property. What does Posner say about the raccoon example to back this up? What is Singer’s response?

(13) Some animal protection laws look pretty good on paper. Why do they do an inadequate job of protecting animals in practice, according to Sunstein?

(14) What is the innovation that Sunstein recommends as a good way for animals to receive adequate protection within our legal system?

11/19 Wildlife

MA chapter 8 (focus on wildlife issues). Paper due

This book didn’t come in, and you’ll be busy with your paper anyway, so no reading or study questions this week.

12/3 Animal Activism

AE chapter 14; Conn and Parker (web); AL chapter 6.

(15) First read Conn and Parker, who are animal experimenters who have been targeted by militant animal protestors. (Should we call the protestors terrorists? What is a terrorist?)

(16) Does Singer think it’s ever justifiable for animal activists to engage in illegal destructive acts? Does he think it’s ever justifiable for them to personally attack experimenters?

(17) At the end of AL chapter 6, Singer discusses some of the successes of the animal liberation movement. Have these successes been significant? Do you think in the distant future we will end our exploitation of animals, in just the way we have ended slavery?

12/10 Final Exam (not take-home, covers material since midterm)