(original post here)
I also think that the criteria for being subject of a life need to be considered further If the reason that animals have rights is because they are able to value themselves to some degree or another, then the capacities that give them the ability to value themselves must be given precedence over the ability to value in a more general way.
Thus the ability to remember one's life is important because it contributes to one being able to value one's self. If you where a sort of fish without the ability for memory but still experienced pleasure and pain, it would still be wrong to arbitrarily harm you, but it would be less wrong than harming a fish that was able to remember it's life and experience pleasure and pain.
I also think that the criteria for being subject of a life need to be considered further If the reason that animals have rights is because they are able to value themselves to some degree or another, then the capacities that give them the ability to value themselves must be given precedence over the ability to value in a more general way.
Thus the ability to remember one's life is important because it contributes to one being able to value one's self. If you where a sort of fish without the ability for memory but still experienced pleasure and pain, it would still be wrong to arbitrarily harm you, but it would be less wrong than harming a fish that was able to remember it's life and experience pleasure and pain.
Hi; I responded to this post on my blog. We have a chain-deal going on here, apparently.
ReplyDeleteHere is the response:
http://asfeaa2013s.blogspot.com/2013/02/biased-choice-of-criteria.html