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An Introduction to the Controversial

Idea of Animal Rights

Roger YatesVegFest Bristol 2016

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Roger Yates – Vegan Information Project[ethical] vegan since 1979

1980s…hunt saboteurBUAV executive committee member (1982)

Fur Action GroupHazleton Action Group

Edelson Action Group

Sea Shepherd crewAnimal Liberation Front Norther Press Officer

Merseyside Animal Rights Committee, etc

academicMA – British Animal Advocacy Movement

PhD – Support pillars of Cultural Speciesism

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• I say I am a member of the

Animal Rights Movement

• I do not say that I’m a

member of the Animal Rights

Movement

A quick survey….

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a. I would describe myself as an “animal rightist”b. I would not describe myself as an “animal rightist”

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TOM REGANHave you read The Case for Animal Rights (1983)

Have you read any other books by Tom Regan?

Would you be able to explain the concept of “a-subject-of-a-life”?

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JOAN DUNAYER

Animal Equality: Language

and Liberation

Speciesism

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GARY LAWRENCE FRANCIONE• Animals, Property, and the Law

• Rain Without Thunder: The Ideology

of the Animal Rights Movement

• Introduction to Animal Rights: Your

Child or Your Dog?

HENRY SHUE – BASIC/NON-BASIC RIGHTS

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When talking to, eg, a member of the public, family member, work colleague

Which phrase would you use the most?

• cruelty to animals• rights violations

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• legal rights• moral rights• positive rights• negative rights

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PETER SINGERAnimal Liberation

Would you be comfortable explaining

why Animal Liberation is not an animal

rights book –

and why Peter Singer rejects rights?

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What’s in a name?a great deal – social movements are

“claims-makers”

Who, the animal advocacy movement, should be allowed (meaning be

respected enough) to go under the name “Animal Rights Advocate”?

• Those who don’t really care about rights and use “rights” as a label?

• Those actively opposed to moral rights?

• Those who want to base their entire claims and ethical position about

human relations with each other and other animals on rights?

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