Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
2
Utilitarianism and Animal
Husbandry
1 Introduction
In this chapter I want to assess in more detail what utilitarianism has
to say about animal-friendly animal husbandry. I will introduce the
basic elements of utilitarianism, which are welfarism, maximization,
and impartiality. After that, I will introduce different ways of assessing
the welfare that an outcome entails, which will be relevant later on in
the topic. I will introduce the utilitarian position on animal husbandry.
Finally, I will also introduce a major criticism against utilitarianism that
will be addressed in this topic.
2 Basic elements of utilitarianism
Utilitarianism is a moral theory. Indeed, it is one of the two main
enlightenment moral theories, together with Kantianism. The aim
of a moral theory, at least on the dominant conception thereof, is
providing 'a theoretical account of the nature of right and wrong and
thereby giving a moral criterion of right action.' 1 In other words, a
moral theory aims at telling us in a systematic and coherent fashion
what is morally right and wrong and why this is so.
As Jamieson puts it:
On the dominant conception, moral theories are abstract structures
that sort agents, actions, or outcomes into appropriate categories.
Proposed categories include virtuous, vicious, right, wrong, permitted,
forbidden, good, bad, best, worst, supererogatory, and obligatory.
Characteristically outcomes are ranked according to their goodness,
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