Date of Publication

4-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Philosophy (Ladderized)

Subject Categories

Philosophy

College

College of Liberal Arts

Department/Unit

Philosophy

Thesis Advisor

Jeane C. Peracullo

Defense Panel Member

Maxell C. Aranilla

Abstract/Summary

The dissertation critically examines the ethical implications of animal labor through Peter Singer’s principle of equal consideration of interests, focusing on autonomy, instrumentalization, and interspecies justice. It engages with competing perspectives, particularly Jocelyne Porcher’s romanticization of traditional husbandry, which challenges the reduction of human-animal relationships to structures of exploitation. Porcher argues that animal labor, rooted in cooperation and affective bonds, can constitute a meaningful interspecies relationship rather than a form of domination. While reformist thinkers suggest that animal labor can be ethical through welfare protections and institutional reforms, abolitionist theorists maintain that it remains inherently coercive and denies interspecies justice. The study argues that these frameworks fail to resolve fundamental ethical concerns, including autonomy, instrumentalization, and interspecies justice. Applying Singer’s principle of equal consideration of interests, this research contends that the ethical response to animal labor is not reform but abolition. Through a systematic philosophical analysis, it aims to contribute to contemporary debates on animal ethics, labor rights, and interspecies justice.

Abstract Format

html

Language

English

Format

Electronic

Keywords

Animal rights; Animal welfare—Moral and ethical aspects; Speciesism; Peter Singer, 1946-

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Embargo Period

4-14-2025

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