The Moral Menagerie: PHILOSOPHY AND ANIMAL RIGHTS - Softcover

Fellenz, Marc R.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0252073606 ISBN 13: 9780252073601

Publisher: University of Illinois Press, 2007

Synopsis

The Moral Menagerie offers a broad philosophical analysis of the recent debate over animal rights. Marc Fellenz locates the debate in its historical and social contexts, traces its roots in the history of Western philosophy, and analyzes the most important arguments that have been offered on both sides. 

 

Fellenz argues that the debate has been philosophically valuable for focusing attention on fundamental problems in ethics and other areas of philosophy, and for raising issues of concern to both Anglo-American and continental thinkers. More provocatively, he also argues that the form the debate often takes--attempting to extend our traditional human-centered moral categories to cover other animals--is ultimately inadequate. Making use of the critical perspectives found in environmentalism, feminism and post-modernism, he concludes that taking animals seriously requires a more radical reassessment our moral framework than the concept of ‘animal rights’ implies.

About this title

Book Description

A look at the limitations of the philosophy behind animal rights and why it matters

 

The Moral Menagerie offers a broad philosophical analysis of the recent debate over animal rights. Marc Fellenz locates the debate in its historical and social contexts, traces its roots in the history of Western philosophy, and analyzes the most important arguments that have been offered on both sides. 

 

Fellenz argues that the debate has been philosophically valuable for focusing attention on fundamental problems in ethics and other areas of philosophy, and for raising issues of concern to both Anglo-American and continental thinkers. More provocatively, he also argues that the form the debate often takes--attempting to extend our traditional human-centered moral categories to cover other animals--is ultimately inadequate. Making use of the critical perspectives found in environmentalism, feminism and post-modernism, he concludes that taking animals seriously requires a more radical reassessment our moral framework than the concept of ‘animal rights’ implies.

About the Author

Marc Fellenz is an associate professor in the Department of Philosophy, Suffolk Community College, as well as an adjunct instructor in the Department of Philosophy at Nassau Community College and in the Department of Social Sciences at the New York Institute of Technology.

About this edition

• Publisher: University of Illinois Press
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0252073606
• ISBN 13: 9780252073601
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 312