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Single Idea 21423

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

Full Idea

Man has duties only to men, ...since his duty to any other subject is moral constraint by that's subject's will. Hence the constraining (binding) subject must first be a person. Man can therefore have no duty to any beings other than men.

Gist of Idea

Men can only have duties to those who qualify as persons

Source

Immanuel Kant (Metaphysics of Morals II:Doctrine of Virtue [1797], 442 I.I)

A Reaction

This is good for illuminating why I am not a Kantian. It is not just that animals are ruled out - it is that whether you show respect depends on whether the recipient passes some test or other. Humans with brain damage may fail the test.

Book Reference

Kant,Immanuel: 'The Metaphysics of Morals', ed/tr. Gregor,Mary [CUP 1991], p.237