Ethics and Animals

Ethics and Animals

ANST—UA 400.001

Fall 2016

This course is an introduction to the ethics of our relationships to nonhuman animals, from historical and contemporary standpoints. We will examine the ways animals have been denied and granted moral status in philosophical traditions and in practice, the significance of the human/animal difference, and what “speciesism” means. We will then survey the main philosophical theories arguing about the treatment of animals, and we will cover various practical issues surrounding our use of, or concern for, animals. We will address the morality of raising and killing animals for food, animal experimentation, keeping animals in captivity for entertainment or science, keeping them as pets, managing urban wildlife, reducing suffering in the wild, wildlife conservation, etc. We will ask whether animals should have legal rights, and which are the best strategies to protect them.

There are no prior requirements in philosophy, animal studies, ethics, or any other field, except for a genuine willingness to confront a variety of views, concepts, arguments, and hot topics. Given the controversial nature of the subject, student participation, based on careful argumentation and respectful appreciation of different views, is strongly encouraged; no specific view will be favored.

Meeting information

Time: Tues. 5:00—7:30 pm

Place: 25W4, rm. C-20

Instructor: Duncan Purves

Email:

Office: 285 Mercer St, rm. 908

Office hours: M & W 3:30-­‐5:00 pm or by appointment. To reserve an appointment: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/selfsched?sstoken=UUVFTXdJaU9hMVZqfGRlZmF1bHR8NzcyMzFkOGUzMDU3NGJhOGZiNDMyM2U1NDE2NTI4ZjE

Grader: Adam See, , office hours by appointment

ASSIGNMENTS (to be submitted to the course website via NYU Classes)

Grading criteria: Structure, organization and coherence (25%), comprehension of course materials (25%), critical skills (25%), writing/clarity (25%)

Tests (40%): 2 non-cumulative 1-hour exams (10/18 & 11/22, 20% each). Tests cover all course materials up until test day that was not covered in the previous exam. No exam during finals period.

Paper (30%): 1800-word paper (min 1700) Due 12/6, 11 pm. You can choose your own topic (please consult with me first), but I will also suggest prompts. A preliminary 200-word outline is due 11/15 (Failure to submit an outline will result in a loss of 10% of your paper grade).

Weekly discussion questions (comments) (15%): Weekly readings are mandatory for all. By 10am each day of class students must post a short (<100 words) question or comment about one of the week’s readings. I will ask students to raise these comments and questions in class, so be prepared! There will be 12 weeks for which you must post a comment.

Attendance and participation (15%): This is a discussion-oriented course. For this reason, attendance is mandatory (you must request permission and/or bring a timely notice if you miss more than one class); active class participation is strongly encouraged. You will be assessed on the basis of your demonstrated capacity to engage with arguments, critically assess the claims of others, research facts, unpack implicit assumptions, and critically examine your own views. Online discussion on NYU Classes in response to other students’ comments or questions also counts towards participation.

GRADING SCALE:

Your final letter grades will be computed according to the following 1000 point scale:

925-1000 A

895-925 A-

875-895 B+

825-875 B

795-825 B-

775-795 C+

725-775 C

695-725 C-

675-695 D+

625-675 D

600-625 D-

0----595 F

Grades that fall exactly on the upper threshold are awarded the higher grade.

COURSE WEBSITE

Pdf readings can be found on the course website “Ethics & the Environment,” accessible through NYU Classes

CLASSROOM CONDUCT

Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Those who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards may be subject to discipline. Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with differences of race, culture, religion, politics, sexual orientation, gender, gender variance, and nationalities. Class rosters are provided to the instructor with the student's legal name. I will gladly honor your request to address you by an alternate name or gender pronoun. Please advise me of this preference early in the semester so that I may make appropriate changes to my records.

Note:-Please turn off your cellphone (don’t just silence it) when you enter the classroom. You get one cellphone warning per semester. Further warnings will result in you being asked to leave the classroom.

-If you use a laptop for readings and notes, please disable your wireless connection when you enter the classroom. Surfing the web is strictly prohibited.

-Please leave any material not related to this course in your bag during class.

DISABILITIES ACCOMMODATION (From the University Website)

Henry and Lucy Moses Center for Students with Disabilities

New York University is committed to providing equal educational opportunity and participation for students with disabilities. It is the University’s policy that no qualified student with a disability be excluded from participating in any University program or activity, denied the benefits of any University program or activity, or otherwise subjected to discrimination with regard to any University program or activity.

The Henry and Lucy Moses Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) determines qualified disability status and assists students in obtaining appropriate accommodations and services. CSD operates according to anIndependent Living Philosophyand strives in its policies and practices to empower each student to become as independent as possible. Our services are designed to encourage independence, backed by a strong system of supports.

Any student who needs a reasonable accommodation based on a qualified disability is required to register with the CSD for assistance.

Disability Disclosure Statement Academic accommodations are available to any student with a chronic, psychological, visual, mobility, learning disability, or who is deaf or hard of hearing. Students should please register with the Moses Center for Students with Disabilities at 212-998-4980.

NYU's Henry and Lucy Moses Center for Students with Disabilities

726 Broadway, 2nd Floor New York, NY 10003-6675

Telephone: 212-998- 4980

Voice/TTY Fax: 212-995- 4114

Web site: http://www.nyu.edu/csd

RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES

See the following link for NYU’s policy regarding religious observances: https://www.nyu.edu/content/dam/nyu/compliance/documents/religious_holidays.pdf

ACADEMIC HONESTY AND SUPPORT

Plagiarism results in failure in the class and referral to your academic dean. It includes: copying sentences or fragments from any source without quotes and references; not citing a source used in your papers; citing internet information without proper citation; presenting someone else’s work as your own; or inadvertently copying verbatim from any source. More detail can be found at http://cas.nyu.edu/page/academicintegrity. NYU offers academic support and tutoring at the University Learning Center: www.nyu.edu/cas/ulc, (212) 998-8085.

You can find more student support services below:

The NYU Student Resource Center (212-998-4411.http://www.nyu.edu/src)

The NYU Wellness Exchange (for personal support and assistance) (212-443-9999 http://www.nyu.edu/999)

The NYU Center for Multicultural Education and Programs (212-998-4343 http://www.nyu.edu/cmep)

The NYU Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Transgender, and Queers Student Center at(212-998-4424 http://www.nyu.edu/lgbt)

The NYU Student Health Service at(212-443-1000 http://www.nyu.edu/shc)

NYU Counseling & Behavioral Health Services at(212-998-4780 http://www.nyu.edu/counseling)

EMAIL:

The best way to reach me is by email (). Although I typically check my email numerous times per day, you shouldn’t expect me to reply to an email before the next business day. In particular, please plan ahead if you have questions before major assignments are due. I am happy to answer whatever questions you have over email, so long as they are the kinds of questions that can be answered in just a few sentences. I would prefer that you ask more involved questions during my office hours.

*I will occasionally email the class list with important information, like changes in the reading, discussion questions, or modifications for assignments. Therefore, please check your email regularly.

READINGS

Most course readings are available as PDFs on NYU Classes.

The following book is required for the class: Lori Gruen, Ethics and Animals, Cambridge, 2009

You can find it online through NYU’s Ebrary system.

Useful resources:

Susan Armstrong & Richard G. Botzler (eds.), The Animal Ethics Reader, 2d edition, Routledge, 2008

Tom L. Beauchamp & R. G. Frey (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Animal Ethics, Oxford, 2011

Marc Bekoff (ed.), Encyclopedia of Animal Rights and Animal Welfare, 2 vol., Greenwood, 2009

Margo DeMello, Animals and Society: An IntroducFon to Human-­‐Animal Studies, Columbia, 2012

Sue Donalson & Will Kymlicka, Zoopolis: A PoliFcal Theory of Animal Rights, Oxford, 2011

Peter Singer and Jim Mason, The Ethics of What We Eat, Rodale, 2006

Cass. Sunstein & Martha Nussbaum (eds.), Animal Rights: Current Debates & New DirecFons, Oxford, 2004

COURSE SCHEDULE

Aside from the chapters from Gruen (2009), all texts can be accessed on NYU Classes in the Resources. Optional readings are also available.

Date / Topic / Readings
T 9/6 /

Introduction / history of a question

/ Darwin, excerpts from The Descent of Man
Robert Lurz, “The philosophy of animal minds: an introduction” (pp. 1—11)
Recommended: Jim Pryor’s guides to philosophical terms and methods, reading philosophy, and writing a philosophy paper, available here: http://www.jimpryor.net/teaching/vocab/index.html,
http://www.jimpryor.net/teaching/guidelines/reading.html,
http://www.jimpryor.net/teaching/guidelines/writing.html
T 9/13 /

Speciesism and the moral standing of animals

/ Gruen, chapter 1, pp. 1—25 and chapter 2, p. 44—59 (ffp), pp. 64—65
Bentham, An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation (footnote 122)
Peter Singer, “All animals are equal”
T 9/20 /

Guest presentation: Rachel Atcheson on modern industrial animal agriculture

/ J. B. Callicott, “Animal liberation: a triangular affair”
TBD
T 9/27 /

Utilitarianism

/ Gruen, ch. 1, pp. 29—33
Rachels, “The Utilitarian Approach”
R.M. Hare, “Why I am only a Demi-­‐Vegetarian” (up to section 6 on p. 241)
T 10/4 /

Rights

/ Tom Regan, The Case for Animal Rights (2004 preface)
R.G. Frey, “Rights, interests, desires, and beliefs”
Carl Cohen, “The Case for the Use of Animals in Biomedical Research”
T 10/11 /

Contractualism

/ Peter Carruthers, “Against the Moral Standing of Animals”
Mark Rowlands, “Contractarianism and Animals”
T 10/18 /

Animals as Food (I)

First Exam / Lori Gruen, chapter 3
Jonathan Safran Foer, Eating Animals (selection)
Michael Pollan, “The ethics of eating animals”
In Class: Joel Salatin's take on farming
T 10/25 /

Animals as Food (II)

•  / James McWilliams, “The omnivore’s contradiction”
Hal Herzog, “What’s the difference…”
McMahan, “Eating Animals the Nice Way”
T 11/1 /

Animals as property

/ Gary Francione, “Animals—Property or Persons?”
Jason Wyckoff, “Toward justice for animals”
Steven Wise, “The capacity of nonhuman animals for legal personhood and legal rights”
T 11/8 /

Relations and context

/ Gruen, ch. 2, pp. 55—72
Anderson, E. 2004. “Animal Rights and the Values of Nonhuman Life” In Sunstein and Nussbaum (eds.). Animal Rights: Current Debates and New Directions. Oxford.
Marti Kheel, “Vegetarianism and Ecofeminism”
T 11/15 /

Animal Experimentation

/ Gruen, chapter 4
Singer, Animal Liberation, Ch. 2
Rowan, “Debating the value of animal research”
T 11/22 /

Domesticated Animals, Companions, Citizens

Second Exam

/ C. Palmer, “The moral significance of the distinction between domesticated and wild animals”
Gary Varner, “Pets, Companion Animals, and Domesticated Partnerships”
Hal Herzog, “Biology, culture, …”
T 11/29 /

Animals in Captivity, Animals in the Wild

•  / Lori Gruen, chapter 5, pp. 130—155
Jamieson, D. 2003. “Against Zoos”
Lori Guren, chapter 6, pp. 179—184
Jeff McMahan, The Meat Eaters-NYT Opinionator
T 12/6 /

The Value of Species, How Should We Protect/Defend Animals

Final Day of Classes
Paper Due / Gruen, ch 6, pp. 163—169
Russow, L. 1981. “Why Do Species Matter?” Environmental Ethics, 3, 101--‐112.
Biotech Firm 3-D Prints Rhino Horn
Gary Francione & Robert Garner, The Animal Rights Debate: Abolition or Regulation (selections)
Lori Gruen, chapter 7
T 12/13 / No class: Classes meet according to a Monday schedule