PHILOSOPHY - Ethics: Moral Status [HD]

Summary

In this lecture, Jeff Sebo from New York University explores the concept of moral status, questioning why humans are traditionally considered to have it while non-human entities are not. He challenges the historical belief that only humans possess moral status by highlighting cognitive capacities shared by some animals and questioning the validity of speciesism. Sebo discusses alternative views, such as attributing moral status to sentience or life itself, and the implications these theories have for our treatment of animals, plants, and the environment. He encourages viewers to consider which theory of moral status they find most plausible and how it might affect their daily behavior.

Takeaways

• 🧸 The concept of moral status is about who we have moral obligations to and why.
• 🤔 The difference in moral status between humans and inanimate objects like a teddy bear is explored through the example of damaging a teddy bear and the moral implications.
• 🧐 Historically, philosophers have considered humans as the only beings with moral status, often attributed to human-specific cognitive capacities.
• 🕵️‍♂️ Rene Descartes and others believed that rationality, language, or self-awareness are what make humans special and confer moral status.
• 🤨 Peter Singer challenges the idea that only humans possess advanced cognitive capacities, pointing out that some nonhuman animals may possess these more than some humans.
• 🌟 The notion that all and only humans have moral status due to species membership is likened to racism or sexism, suggesting speciesism is a form of prejudice.
• 🌱 Philosophers like Richard Ryder, Peter Singer, and Tom Regan argue against speciesism, advocating for a broader moral circle.
• 🐭 Sentience, or the capacity for conscious experiences, is proposed as a more inclusive criterion for moral status, extending it to many humans and nonhuman animals.
• 🌿 Some philosophers suggest that life itself, rather than just sentience, should be the basis for moral status, which would include plants and possibly ecosystems.
• 🔍 The implications of different theories of moral status are profound, affecting how we interact with the environment and other living beings.
• 🛑 Acceptance of a theory of moral status should be based on its plausibility rather than convenience, implying that morality may demand more from us than we initially expect.

Q & A

What is moral status according to Jeff Sebo?

Moral status refers to who we have moral obligations to and why. It is the concept that distinguishes between entities that deserve moral consideration and those that do not.

Why did Jeff Sebo use the example of a teddy bear to illustrate moral status?

The teddy bear example was used to demonstrate that moral wrongs are not committed against inanimate objects but against individuals who have a connection or care for those objects, thus highlighting the concept of moral obligations.

What is the historical view on what grants moral status?

Historically, most philosophers believed that being a human being is what grants moral status, suggesting that all and only human beings possess this status.

What qualities have been traditionally associated with human beings to justify their moral status?

Qualities such as rationality, language, self-awareness, and other sophisticated cognitive capacities have been traditionally associated with human beings to justify their moral status.

Who is Peter Singer, and what argument does he make regarding moral status?

Peter Singer is a philosopher who argues that the capacities traditionally attributed to human beings to justify their moral status can also be found in some nonhuman animals, challenging the idea that only human beings possess these capacities.

What is speciesism, and why do philosophers like Richard Ryder and Peter Singer argue against it?

Speciesism is the discrimination in favor of one's own species (humans) over others based solely on membership in a particular biological category. Philosophers like Richard Ryder and Peter Singer argue against it because it is a form of prejudice similar to racism and sexism.

What is the alternate history scenario Dale Jamieson presents to argue against speciesism?

Dale Jamieson presents a scenario where Neanderthals survived as a distinct species, living alongside humans. The argument is that if one discovers a close friend is a Neanderthal, it should not negate the moral obligations towards them, suggesting that species membership alone should not determine moral status.

What alternative criteria for moral status are proposed in the script?

The script proposes sentience (the capacity for conscious experiences like pleasure and pain) and life itself as alternative criteria for moral status, which would include a broader range of beings, including nonhuman animals and possibly plants or ecosystems.

Why does Kenneth Goodpaster argue that sentience should not be the sole criterion for moral status?

Kenneth Goodpaster argues that sentience is just one tool evolution gave us for survival and reproduction, and morality should not privilege those who experience pleasure and pain over other living organisms that survive and reproduce in different ways.

What are the implications of accepting different theories of moral status on everyday life?

Accepting different theories of moral status can have profound implications on everyday life, such as reconsidering the morality of actions like consuming animals for food, using animals for research, or treating plants and ecosystems with more respect.

How does Jeff Sebo encourage the audience to reflect on their own beliefs about moral status?

Jeff Sebo encourages the audience to reflect on their beliefs by asking them to consider which theory of moral status seems most plausible to them and how they would need to change their everyday behavior based on their accepted theory.