title: Biocentric ethics and animal prosperity.
abstract: Singer's utilitarian and Regan's deontological views must be rejected because: (1) they rely on criteria for moral standing that can only be known a priori and (2) if these criteria were successful, they'd be too restrictive. I hold that while mental properties may be sufficient for moral standing, they are not necessary. (3) Their criteria of moral standing do not unambiguously abrogate needless harm to animals. I defend a theory of biocentric individualism that upholds the principle of species egalitarianism while at the same time recognizing that in certain cases, human needs must outweigh the needs of non-humans. On this view, moral consideration is not conferred only on beings that have human-life mental properties. Finally, it offers an unambiguous recommendation for the abolition of harmful animal experimentation, factory farming, and killing animals for sport.
authors.affiliation: Boise State University, USA.
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Anchustegui
mesh_terms: D032761:Animal Experimentation / Q000941:ethics; D017087:Animal Rights; D000818:Animals; D026686:Beneficence; D003243:Consciousness; D028663:Ethical Theory; D010686:Philosophy, Medical