Animal Rights

In this substantially revised and updated new edition of Animal Rights, Mark Rowlands provides a lucid defence of the moral claims of animals. The book examines each of the major ethical traditions: utilitarianism and Peter Singer's defence of animal liberation; natural rights doctrine and Tom Regan's case for animal rights, virtue ethics; and the Rosalind Hursthouse/Roger Scruton dispute on blood sports. It also provides the most detailed, sophisticated and comprehensive contractarian defence of animals ever developed. Examining each of these ethical theories in turn, this book serves as an exceptionally clear and useful introduction to the major ethical traditions. Rowlands argues that all of these theories entail that we have far more substantial moral commitments to animals than most of us would care to admit. This new edition includes a new introduction, a new chapter on virtue ethics and animals, and new material on contractarianism and animal minds.

'Those concerned with animal ethics owe a debt of gratitude to Mark Rowlands. He has written what is without doubt the best defense of animal rights from a contractarian position, or perhaps from any position. Rowlands writes in an admirably clear and engaging manner, guaranteed to lure the reader into joining the spirited conversation.' - Susan J. Armstrong, Professor Emerita, Department of Philosophy, Humboldt State University, Arcata, Canada 'Philosophers, in particular, and those interested in animal rights issues, in general, should be grateful for the publication of this book for several reasons. First, familiar defenses of the animal rights position offered by Peter Singer and Tom Regan are examined anew, such that even those who are very familiar with these defenses see them in a new light. Second, the more recent debate in virtue ethics regarding treatment of animals (between Rosalind Hursthouse and Roger Scruton) is treated very insightfully. Third, Rowlands develops his own powerful version of a contractarian account of animal rights based on Rawlsian principles. And fourth, he also treats the animal rights issue in novel terms in light of recent debates in philosophy of mind and in relation to a fantastic thought experiment wherein brilliant aliens start farming and eating human beings because of their intellectual inferiority. This is not a book to be ignored!' - Daniel A. Dombrowski, Professor of Philosophy, Seattle University, USA

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