Single Idea 3730

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

Full Idea

Beings whose existence depends not on our will but on nature have, if they are non-rational beings, only a relative value as means and are consequently called 'things' (rather than 'persons').

Gist of Idea

Non-rational beings only have a relative value, as means rather than as ends

Source

Immanuel Kant (Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals [1785], 428.65)

Book Reference

Kant,Immanuel: 'The Moral Law (Groundwork of Morals)', ed/tr. Paton,H.J. [Hutchinson 1948], p.91


A Reaction

Ugh. Is there nothing in between 'persons' and 'things'? How about a deeply comatose human, or an embryo? It is a gross distortion to think of a chimpanzee as a 'thing'.