Peter Singer: "All Animals Are Equal"

I. Singer's main conclusion: we should "extend to other species the basic principle of equality that most of us recognize should be extended to all members of our own species" (1).

II. Argument for main conclusion

1] Beings have interests just in case they are capable of suffering. (4)

2] Human beings and many non-human animals are capable of suffering. (4)

3] Therefore, human beings and many non-human animals have interests.

4] “[T]he interests of every being . . . are to be taken into account and given the same weight as the like interests of any other being.” (3) (= basic principle of equality)

[Note: To engage in racism or in "speciesism" is to violate the basic principle of equality.]

5] Human beings and many non-human animals have an interest in avoiding suffering (implicit). 

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6] The interest non-human animals have in avoiding suffering is to be taken into account and given the same weight as the interest human beings have in avoiding suffering.

III. Support for premises in argument

IV. Practical implications of embracing Singer's main conclusion

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