Dominion: The Power of Man, the Suffering of Animals, and the Call to Mercy

By Matthew Scully

Matthew Scully's Dominion explores the many ways our society has turned away from animals and created a climate of cruelty and exploitation toward them, and the justifications mankind uses to maintain its dominion over animals. Matthew Scully believes that our treatment of animals is a measure of our humanity, and his exposure of the world of factory farming, as well as the eloquence of his writing and the penetration of his arguments, make Dominion the definitive work on the subject of animal rights.

A powerful and moving statement of the obligations we owe to animals, deeply humane, grounded in religious and scientific beliefs, Dominion is a masterpiece of investigative journalism and a catalyst for animal rights. Dominion is a life-changing work that is a call to arms for anyone who has anything to do with animals (and that includes eating them).

• Language: English
• Publisher: Souvenir Press
• Release date: Mar 1, 2011
• ISBN: 9780285640085

Matthew Scully

Matthew Scully served from January 2001 until June 2002 as special assistant and senior speechwriter to President George W. Bush. He worked in the president's 2000 campaign and has also written for vice presidents Dan Quayle and Dick Cheney, and for the late Pennsylvania governor Robert P. Casey. A former literary editor for the National Review, he has been published in various periodicals including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal. He is the author of Dominion: The Power of Man, the Suffering of Animals, and the Call to Mercy. He lives with his wife, Emmanuelle, in northern Virginia.

Reviews for Dominion

[cebellol · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I'll start by saying I had to read this for a class I was taking, and the professor had a horribly slanted view on this material. When I say slanted, imagine Rose & Jack trying to hold on to the Titanic as one end was going under. THAT kind of slanted. Ergo, my opinion of it is colored a great deal based on how she forced us to interpret it in class if we wanted to pass and the subsequent discussions that went along with it.

If you're looking for some references on this particular topic, I guess you could say this would be a good reference for it, however I do not believe it gives both sides of the point a fair shake. It, much like my professor, is drastically slanted towards the side of the crazy vegans (I say crazy, referring to the ones trying to slam their point of view down your throat, NOT the ones who don't make a big stink about it unless people are giving them a hard time). Also, it does have a few religious references and arguments in it, so if I'd skip over those areas if your professor or whatever audience your research is being presented to isn't exactly open to the religious side of things.

[skywolf_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I am in awe of this book. It is, without a doubt, the most powerful book I have ever read. I defy anyone to read it and not be changed by it. Amazing. Hard-hitting. Sensible. Rational. Painful. Hopeful. Infuriating. Spell-binding. Bascially, it's a book about the plight of animals under the domination of humans. The book begins with the verse from Genesis where God commands Adam to have 'dominion' over the creatures of the earth. Scully explains, throughout the book, just how appallingly we have abused that supposed command, often in the name of it being our God-given right to do so. That said, this is not a religious book, nor does the religious aspect of the title dominate the book's theme. I would wholly disagree that this book is aimed primarily at Christians. It's aimed at everyone.The book is so well put together, each chapter laid out in great detail and dealing with one issue separately from the rest. Scully's viewpoints and counter-arguments to the vile people who take delight in the abuse of our power over animals, or those who deny that animals, in fact, have any feeling (whether physical or emotional) whatsoever, are completely sensible, utterly rational, and far more realistic than that of those who oppose his views. He does not use sentimental language or radical terms. He is just absolutely genuine and makes perfect sense. I was repeatedly blown away, both by the awfulness of some of the things he describes and by the awesomeness of his ability to explain just why such things were awful in the first place.The world is a better place for this book. Matthew Scully deserves all the praise he can get for Dominion. Everybody should read this book. Go forth and find it. It will change your view of the world.

[lesliejeanie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Scully, a vegetarian and former speechwriter for President George W. Bush, presents a Christian view of animal welfare in this powerful work. The argument centers on the biblical idea of dominion, that in Genesis humans were bestowed with power over animals and the earth. Rather than giving us unlimited power to harm and exploit animals, Scully argues that the Christian tradition directs us to treat them with reverence and mercy. He does not argue that animals have rights, but rather that humans have duties and obligations towards them and that in the current state of things these duties are being egregiously ignored and rejected. In heartbreaking detail he describes many of the areas of human activity where animals are being cruelly tortured and killed, including trophy hunting, whale hunting, factory farming, and scientific research. Humans are distinguished from other animals in that we can make moral choices. Scully appeals for our compassion, hoping that once readers learn of the cruelty towards animals in these industries that we will choose the moral high ground of kindness over killing. His book is a plea for mercy that concludes with suggestions for legislative reforms that would improve the condition of animals, though not rescuing them from subjugation. Throughout he discusses philosophical perspectives in the debate on animal rights, including a critique of the utilitarian philosophy of Peter Singer, and an endorsement of natural law as a basis for our moral standards. According to this understanding of natural law, human lives have a purpose based in reason and morality. It is clear that Matthew Scully has found his purpose, in urging us towards compassion in our treatment of our fellow animals.

[sullywriter_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book convinced me to never again buy meat from a supermarket.