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A Universal Ethic for All Mankind: A Detailed Review and Synopsis of The Ethics of Liberty
by Murray N. Rothbard
Chapter 21: The “Rights” of Animals
Compiled and Edited
by
Dr. Jimmy T. (Gunny) LaBaume
Some have difficulties with deciding which living things should be included in the sphere of rights. Obviously, if the theory were extended to all living beings (bacteria or plants, for example), the human race would quickly die out. Furthermore, there is a fundamental flaw in the theory of animal rights. Human individuals do not possess rights simply because we “feel” like they should. These rights exist because of a rational inquiry into the nature of man and the universe. Man has rights because they are natural rights meaning that they are grounded in the nature of man. The ability of man to reason, make conscious choices, transform his environment, consciously cooperate in society through the division of labor, etc are his “nature.”
Natural rights are absolute and universal (meaning for all men—regardless of race, creed, color or sex). However, a rights-ethic is exclusively for the species known as man. Under natural law man has dominion over all the species of the earth.
Obviously, animals do not respect the “rights” of other animals. It would be absurd to say that the wolf is “evil” because he “aggresses against” lambs. He is simply following the natural law for the survival of his own species. In the same way, it would be equally absurd to say that men “aggress against” cows.
But what if “Martians” invade the earth? Well, if these “Martians” were like human beings (conscious, rational, able to communicate and participate in the division of labor, etc) then they too would possess rights. But, suppose that they have the characteristics (the nature) of a vampire? In that case, they would be our deadly enemy and not entitled to the rights of humanity.
Continue to the next chapter...
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