44 min listen
Replay: Is it wrong to keep pets? Why is keeping a pet different to keeping a slave?
FromThe Morality of Everyday Things: An Everyday Philosophy Podcast
Replay: Is it wrong to keep pets? Why is keeping a pet different to keeping a slave?
FromThe Morality of Everyday Things: An Everyday Philosophy Podcast
ratings:
Length:
59 minutes
Released:
Nov 9, 2023
Format:
Podcast episode
Description
Old Description:
In this episode, Jake and Ant look at the ethics of pet care. Is it ok to keep any sentient living being as property, free to be made infertile if their incessant humping annoys us and even to be put down if they become an inconvenience or minor danger.
Part of this discussion will feel familiar from our vegan/vegetarianism episode (how do we compare animal vs human rights?), but the fundamental question is how do we square the very common stance of being anti-livestock/vegan but pro-pets? We do care about our pets, but we also violate what may very reasonably be their rights as sentient creatures in the interest of our enjoyment - and their being happy with the arrangement may not necessarily get us off the hook, just as it doesn't solve the 'benevolent slave owner' argument. Also, to what extent does keeping pets enable negligient or non-benevolent pet owners to cause suffering, and can we even agree what counts as negligient - by some accounts keeping a dog in an inner city apartment is not fair, for example.
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In this episode, Jake and Ant look at the ethics of pet care. Is it ok to keep any sentient living being as property, free to be made infertile if their incessant humping annoys us and even to be put down if they become an inconvenience or minor danger.
Part of this discussion will feel familiar from our vegan/vegetarianism episode (how do we compare animal vs human rights?), but the fundamental question is how do we square the very common stance of being anti-livestock/vegan but pro-pets? We do care about our pets, but we also violate what may very reasonably be their rights as sentient creatures in the interest of our enjoyment - and their being happy with the arrangement may not necessarily get us off the hook, just as it doesn't solve the 'benevolent slave owner' argument. Also, to what extent does keeping pets enable negligient or non-benevolent pet owners to cause suffering, and can we even agree what counts as negligient - by some accounts keeping a dog in an inner city apartment is not fair, for example.
Support the show:
Please leave us a review! Spotify even now let's you do it - see that little star icon - go on, give it a click. Reviews are a great way to help others find the show, and it makes us feel all warm inside.
Know anyone who likes to think about or debate the kind of topics we cover? Spread the word - and you’ll have our gratitude.
Here's the link to our new community whatsapp, where we'll discuss episodes and ask our most engaged listeners what sort of topics/formats they most enjoy.
If you’re a fan of the show, please consider signing up to our Patreon. A small subscription goes a long way towards supporting the show - and it makes us feel all warm inside too.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Released:
Nov 9, 2023
Format:
Podcast episode
Titles in the series (90)
Should billionaires exist?: <p>In this first episode, Jake and Ant explore the moral implications of extreme wealth inequality. Can billionaires co-exist with a population in poverty? When, if ever, is it right to takeaway someone's private property? Do we deserve the cash we inherit any less than the talents we inherit by birth?</p><p>If you'd like to support the show, check out our Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/moedt</p>--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/moedt/message <p>If you'd like to listen ad-free (on any podcast app) and support us as creators, become a member for as little as $2 per month at: <a target="_blank" rel="payment" href="https://plus.acast.com/s/moedt">https://plus.acast.com/s/moedt</a>.</p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p> by The Morality of Everyday Things: An Everyday Philosophy Podcast