Od rzeczy do podmiotu. Praktyczne implikacje etyki ochrony zwierząt

Abstract

The paper touches upon fundamental questions connected with shaping the ethics of animal protection. It presents the historical process of evolution of attitudes towards animals, from reifi cation to empowerment. For many centuries animals were treated as things, an object of rights to which humans were entitled, including the right of ownership. They were denied an ability of conscious feeling of pain, reason and self–consciousness. In view of the most recent scientifi c fi ndings any further maintaining the paradigm of animal–thing (machine, automat) is unacceptable. An attitude of people towards other living species has signifi cantly transformed over recent twelve years. This is testifi ed by changes introduced to law (concerning, for example, reduction of cage breeding of chickens, ban on testing cosmetics on animals in the EU countries etc.). What confi rms the aforementioned changes is also a rapid development of organisations working for the rights, interests and protection of animals. In ethics thee appear increasingly numerous discussions on the moral status, being a subject as well as human responsibilities towards other living creatures capable of feeling pain and suffering.