Animals are property. There are laws that supposedly…
““Animals are property. There are laws that supposedly protect animal interests in being treated “humanely,” but that term is interpreted in large part to mean that we cannot impose “unnecessary” harm on animals, and that is measured by what treatment is considered as necessary within particular industries, and according to customs of use, to exploit animals. The bottom line is that animals do not have any respect-based rights in the way that humans have, because we do not regard animals as having any moral value. They have only economic value. We value their interests economically, and we ignore their interests when it is economically beneficial for us to do so. At this point in time, it makes no sense to focus on the law, because as long as we regard animals as things, as a moral matter, the laws will necessarily reflect that absence of moral value and continue to do nothing to protect animals. We need to change social and moral thinking about animals before the law is going to do anything more.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Animals are treated as economic assets lacking moral rights, so laws reflect this view and fail to protect them; moral shift is needed before legal change.
In simple terms: Animals are seen only as property, not beings with rights.
Key Takeaway
Advocate for moral recognition of animals before seeking legal reforms.
Themes
ethics
animal rights
law
economics
Mood
concerned
determined
Type
activist
philosophical
When to use this quote
- animal welfare campaigns
- legislative advocacy
- consumer education
- corporate policy reform
Key Concepts
moral philosophy
speciesism
legal theory
social change
Questions to Reflect On
- What moral values could redefine our view of animals?
- How can society balance economic needs with animal welfare?
A Different Perspective
Changing deep-seated economic interests is difficult.