Single Idea 20283

[catalogued under 25. Social Practice / F. Life Issues / 6. Animal Rights]

Full Idea

It seems that killing a chimpanzee is worse than the killing of a gravely defective human who is not a person. ...[p.103] the effects on relatives of the defective human will sometimes constitute additional indirect reasons against killing the human.

Gist of Idea

Killing a chimp is worse than killing a human too defective to be a person

Source

Peter Singer (Practical Ethics [1979], 05)

Book Reference

Singer,Peter: 'Practical Ethics' [CUP 1989], p.97


A Reaction

Singer's most notorious idea. Perhaps we should all carry cards (perhaps combined with donor cards) saying how many people will care if we die.