Defending Animal Rights

by Tom Regan

Along with Peter Singer, Tom Regan (philosophy, North Carolina State U.) is co-premier of animal rights philosophy, a reputation established with The Case for Animal Rights (1985). This volume of shorter pieces reflects Regan's thinking over the past decade. Besides chapters on the meaning and repercussions of animal rights and animal liberation, two chapters address being an employee of an organization that experiments or uses animals (Regan's employer, he says, yearly kills thousands of animals). Two other chapters compare animal rights to, on the one hand, the causes for gay and lesbian rights, and on the other, the rights of African/American slaves. Regan's central thesis can be summed up as anti-utilitarian and Kantian, and is opposed to those (like Singer) wanting animal liberation without necessarily advocating rights. Regan argues that because non-human animals are similar to humans (both, for example, believe, remember, intend, and experience fear, anger, and loneliness), the two groups have a "basic moral right to respectful treatment." Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Genres: Philosophy, Animals, Nonfiction

200 pages, Hardcover

First published November 30, 2000

About the author

Tom Regan was an American philosopher who specialized in animal rights theory. He was professor emeritus of philosophy at North Carolina State University, where he taught from 1967 until his retirement in 2001.

Regan was the author of numerous books on the philosophy of animal rights, including The Case for Animal Rights (1983), one of a handful of studies that have significantly influenced the modern animal rights movement. In these, he argued that non-human animals are what he calls the "subjects-of-a-life", just as humans are, and that, if we want to ascribe value to all human beings regardless of their ability to be rational agents, then to be consistent, we must similarly ascribe it to non-humans.

Reviews

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tom Regan is a philosopher and professor. I find him intelligent and thoughtful. He’s a good communicator and he presents compelling and cogent arguments for why animal rights are just as important as human rights, and why these rights are so important.

[Sue · Rating 1 out of 5]

Can't read this. Collection of essays? yup, that's what it is: huge essay. No pictures, just biased exposition. ugh.