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Should
animals be included in the moral community?
By Dana Imperia '05
On Feb. 3, more than 20 students attended a panel
discussion on the rights of animals in the moral community with Christian
Diehm, assistant professor of philosophy, Dr. Brett Wilmot, the St.
Catherine of Sienna teaching fellow for the Ethics Program, and Bob
Vierlinck, founder of Villanovans for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (VETA),’07,
in Bartley room 2072.
The guests were introduced by Dr. Carol Anthony,
associate director of the Center for Peace and Justice Education, who acted
as moderator for the event. Each speaker began with a 10-minute opening
statement, followed by questions from the audience.
Vierlinck began the discussion, referring to Peter
Singer’s hallmark book Animal Liberation. Singer’s groundbreaking
work has become a quasi-bible for animal rights activists, highlighting the
chilling realities of animal abuse in slaughterhouses and experimentation
laboratories. He then noted that in 2000 almost nine billion animals were
killed for food in the United States, not including fish, horses and animals
used in experiments.
Diehm stated that people have an ambivalent
relationship with animals. “Things we find true about our pets are true
about the animals we eat, but we socially and physically enforce barriers so
we don’t have to face the inhumane treatment of agricultural animals,
causing us to live in a tension where we care for some animals and not
others,” Diehm said. He also talked about animal processing plants and the
inability to view the conditions in such places. “We don’t know what is
going on behind the doors of slaughterhouses and it’s intentional. People
need to know the world they are living in.”
One of the key issues discussed was vegetarianism.
After several students questioned the practicality of vegetarianism and its
effects, Wilmot said, “It’s a personal feeling. You ask yourself what kind
of person do I want to be and how can I manifest my values in my behavior.”
Wilmot added that vegetarianism isn’t about changing the world but about
achieving moral success and dealing with personal principles. In response,
Vierlinck asserted that becoming a vegetarian is a “social cause with
tangible results.” “Around 95 animals are saved each year by one
vegetarian,” he said.
Other issues discussed include animal welfare,
neglect and animal abuse, and the problems that arise from the surplus of
domestic animals in shelters.
The event was sponsored by VETA and the Center for
Peace and Justice Education. For further information you can attend VETA’s
meetings on Thursdays at 6 p.m. in the Center for Peace and Justice
Education or contact Vierlinck via e-mail at animalrightsvu@yahoo.com. |
