Alasdair Cochrane introduces an entirely new theory of animal rights grounded in their interests as sentient beings. He then applies this theory to different and underexplored policy areas, such as genetic engineering, pet-keeping, indigenous hunting, and religious slaughter. In contrast to other proponents of animal rights, Cochrane claims that because most sentient animals are not autonomous agents, they have no intrinsic interest in liberty. As such, he argues that our obligations to animals lie in ending practices that cause their suffering and death and do not require the liberation of animals. Cochrane's "interest-based rights approach" weighs the interests of animals to determine which is sufficient to impose strict duties on humans. In so doing, Cochrane acknowledges that sentient animals have a clear and discernable right not to be made to suffer and not to be killed, but he argues that they do not have a prima facie right to liberty. Because most animals possess no interest in leading freely chosen lives, humans have no moral obligation to liberate them. Moving beyond theory to the practical aspects of applied ethics, this pragmatic volume provides much-needed perspective on the realities and responsibilities of the human-animal relationship.

provides students with a sound introduction to contemporary ethics. It combines well-established classical readings with new, previously unreleased essays by modern philosophers. Contains an opening section on ethical theory.

This best-seller combines text, readings, and cases to provide an outstanding introduction to moral philosophy, engaging students in the most perplexing issues of our time without sacrificing philosophical integrity. Numerous readings by philosophers and writers, and contemporary case studies, make chapter topics lively centerpieces for discussions. Each chapter begins with the author's presentation of the topic and is followed by readings with brief introductions. This is then followed by cases that enhance the application of concepts to the real world. Both readings and cases are followed by Questions for Analysis.

"Moral philosophy is the study of how one should live. This anthology is an introduction to the that great subject. The readings cover the main moral theories and present a wealth of ideas about various practical matters."--

Newspaper clippings 1999-2006.

This excellent collection of topically organized articles with chapter introductions, cases, and end-of-chapter study questions and resources provides an accessible yet philosophically honest and balanced introduction to the world of moral issues.