Homework Help: Intro to Ethics

Posted by Summer on Saturday, April 11, 2009 at 5:26pm.

I have to write a paper over an ethics topic. And I chose: Where do animals belong in the moral community? Should animals be seen as only having instrumental worth to humans, or do animals have some intrinsic worth? Should they be given any rights? Is it speciesist to give preferential treatment to humans over non-human animals?

I need a thesis and some good ideas. I'm not the best at writing papers so any help would be great. I've already looked at websites for this and they confuse me still. So any one on one help would be greatly appreciated.

thank you.

Intro to Ethics - Ms. Sue, Saturday, April 11, 2009 at 5:39pm
You first need to decide which side of this animal topic you favor.

We'll be glad to help you further, once you tell us your feelings about this issue.
Intro to Ethics - Summer, Saturday, April 11, 2009 at 5:45pm
Ok. Thank you.

So far I'm at the fact that animals do not have any rights, but that they are protected under our laws against abuse and neglect. They should not be given any rights because even though they are sentient intelligent beings, they do not have the human thought process. Animals have both insrumental worth (such as livestock) but also intrinsic worth because they're not just tools. They're living breathing beings that deserve our respect.
Intro to Ethics - Ms. Sue, Saturday, April 11, 2009 at 6:18pm
You have excellent thoughts on this subject!

Most sources define the moral community as a human community. Therefore animals are not part of this community.

Your thesis statement could be as simple as: "Animals are not part of the moral community."

Then outline your arguments to support your thesis.

http://www.google.com/search?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENUS321&q=moral+community&aq=f&oq=
Intro to Ethics - Summer, Saturday, April 11, 2009 at 6:32pm
oh also, that i dont believe in animal rights, so much as I believe in animal wellfare.

I'm curious, how are animals not part of the moral community, when they are a part of the human community and interact with us on a daily basis?
Intro to Ethics - Ms. Sue, Saturday, April 11, 2009 at 6:38pm
My view is that only humans are part of the moral community because only humans have morals. Animals don't have the power to be moral. They can only act on instinct.

We humans have the moral responsibility to care for other living beings.

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