Olemuserosta aste-eroon

Filosofianhistoriallinen katsaus eläimen ja ihmisen välisestä suhteesta

Abstrakti

In this paper, we argue that the classical conception concerning the relation between animals and humans
in Western philosophy is anthropocentric. Notwithstanding the traditional outlook which has emphasized
the substantial difference between animal and human intellect, we contend that this classical position has
been overturned during the epistemological-evolutionist shift culminated in the 18th and 19th centuries.
The paper is constructed in the following way. First, we shall survey the classical, anthropocentric position
which includes roughly the time line from antiquity to early modern period. Second, we will analyze
Hume’s epistemological arguments which undermine the uniqueness of human intellect, and the inspiration
it gave to Darwin for his naturalistic world view which contributed to his work on evolution and natural
selection. Third, our conclusion will be that, as the human-animal dichotomy has broken down, arguments
which exclude moral status from all animals have become untenable.