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The Debate On Animal Rights

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There are two major schools of thought on animal protection. First, is the tenet that animals should have rights and the second, more radical view, is that animals should be liberated. Many of the rights that are promoted for animals are similar to the rights of human democratic societies. The basic rights, which are recommended by a number of advocates, are that animals should be free from suffering, be in possession of their own life, and their basic interests should be given the same consideration as humans (Taylor, 2009). The more extreme view, is that animals should be considered as people and not property (Francione, 2008). There are a number of leading philosophers that have published opinions on the legitimacy of animal rights. The debate on animal rights has been discussed since close to the beginning of historical time. The reference in the Bible of Adam having dominion over the fish, birds, and animals that inhabit the earth implies ownership or some form of property rights to the animals (Francione, 1995). The implication was that man was superior to animals because he was created in the image of God. The Greek philosopher Aristotle based his opinions on the idea that animals did not have the ability to reason and so they were below humans (Taylor, 2009). Rene Descartes, a French philosopher who is known as the father of modern philosophy, had a tremendous influence on the animal rights debate and his opinions are still being quoted today in papers and

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