Single Idea 6005

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

Full Idea

Hermarchus said that animal killing is justified by considerations of human safety and nourishment and by animals' inability to form contractual relations of justice with us.

Gist of Idea

Animals are dangerous and nourishing, and can't form contracts of justice

Source

report of Hermarchus (fragments/reports [c.270 BCE]) by David A. Sedley - Hermarchus

Book Reference

'Encyclopedia of Classical Philosophy', ed/tr. Zeyl,Donald J. [Fitzroy Dearborn 1997], p.263


A Reaction

Could the last argument be used to justify torturing animals? Or could we eat a human who was too brain-damaged to form contracts?