Animal Quote by J. M. Coetzee
“They have no consciousness therefore. Therefore what? Therefore we are free to use them for our own ends? Therefore we are free to kill them? Why? What is so special about the form of consciousness we recognize that makes killing a bearer of it a crime while killing an animal goes unpunished?...all this discussion of consciousness and whether animals have it is just a smokescreen. At bottom we protect our own kind. Thumbs up to human babies, thumbs down to veal calves.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Ethics of Consciousness, 2015
Human bias favors our own species, using consciousness as a moral shield while exploiting non‑human life.
In simple terms: We prioritize our own consciousness over others.
Key Takeaway
Question species bias in ethics.
Themes
ethics
speciesism
consciousness
Mood
critical
provocative
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- research labs
- food industry
- environmental policy
Key Concepts
philosophy
animal rights
Questions to Reflect On
- What criteria should define moral consideration?
- Can we extend rights without consciousness?
A Different Perspective
Consciousness is hard to measure objectively.
