Speciesism
A prejudice or biased attitude that discriminates without justification against species other than the biological species to which one belongs. It is similar to sexism, racism, and ageism.
History
Although the term was first used by Richard Ryder, it began to become widely known through Peter Singer’s 1975 book Animal Liberation.
Speciesism (the word is not attractive, but I can think of no better term) refers to a prejudice or biased attitude of giving greater importance to the interests of members of one’s own species than to the interests of members of other species. … It is obvious that the basic objection of Thomas Jefferson or Sojourner Truth to racism or sexism applies equally to speciesism. If greater intelligence does not entitle one human to use another for his or her own ends, how can it entitle humans to exploit nonhuman animals for the same purpose? —Peter Singer, from Chapter 1 of Animal Liberation.
Discriminating Between Companion Animals and Other Animals
Speciesism primarily consists in giving differential consideration to the interests of humans and nonhuman animals, but giving differential consideration to the interests of companion animals and other animals is also speciesism.
A secondary form of speciesism occurs when we give more weight to the interest of some nonhuman animals of a particular species — dogs, for example — than we give to animals with similar interests but of a different species, such as pigs.
Setting a Non-Discriminatory Standard
People who practice veganism in opposition to speciesism still eat plants. Why is it that one must not eat animals, but may eat plants? Is this speciesism too?
Most people oriented toward veganism think there are other grounds for eating plants that are not speciesist. The two most widely cited grounds are these.
- According to utilitarianism, beings that can feel pain or pleasure (sentient beings) are the proper objects of moral consideration. But it is highly likely that plants do not have sentience.
- According to the rights view, if a being has beliefs, desires, perception, memory, identity, and so on (a subject-of-a-life), then it has moral rights even if it cannot fulfill moral duties. But it is highly likely that plants are not subjects-of-a-life.
(Reference: Plant Sentience)
Articles
- 2022-12-09 - What Is Speciesism?