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Are All Species Equal.edited

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Philosophy
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Miami Dade College
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RUNNING HEAD: Reading summary 11
“Are All Species Equal?” by David Schmidtz
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RUNNING HEAD: Reading summary 11
In his publication, “Are All Species Equal?”, David Schmidtz mainly discusses the
concept of species egalitarianism. This theory states that all living organisms should be treated as
equals and that they demand equal recognition and respect. As he puts it, they “…have equal
moral standing.” (Schmidtz, 1998). This includes human beings and all other species that are
often deemed ‘superior’ based on different criteria. The article goes ahead to critique several
opinions on this crucial matter that were put forward by egalitarianists such as Paul Taylor and
Arne Naess.
Schmidtz (1998) attempts to explain why some species command our respect but not
necessarily equal respect. He does this by stating and supporting the opinions of philosophers
such as James C. Anderson and William C. French who contested the opinions of Taylor and
Naess. William C. French is in support of a theory known as Speciesism. This theory suggests
that living organisms are categorized using species which is not a form of competition for
superiority but rather, categorization according to different characteristics concerning capacities
and complexities (Schmidtz, 1998).
Schmidtz (1998) critiques species egalitarianism and the opinion that all species deserve
the same level of respect. For instance, he compares dolphins and tuna. According to the theory
of species egalitarianism, the respect that dolphins command is not higher than that of tuna. He
also mentions mice and chimpanzees and that they also demand equal respect according to the
theory. He contests such views by suggesting that such opinions do not give dolphins and
chimpanzees, in this case, the respect that they deserve. The entire article is a critical approach
that questions whether respect for nature is equal to species egalitarianism.

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Surname 1 RUNNING HEAD: Reading summary 11 “Are All Species Equal?” by David Schmidtz Name Course Professor Date of submission Surname 2 RUNNING HEAD: Reading summary 11 In his publication, “Are All Species Equal?”, David Schmidtz mainly discusses the concept of species egalitarianism. This theory states that all living organisms should be treated as equals and that they demand equal recognition and respect. As he puts it, they “…have equal moral standing.” (Schmidtz, 1998). This includes human beings and all other species that are often deemed ‘superior’ based on different criteria. The article goes ahead to critique several opinions on this crucial matter that were put forward by egalitarianists such as Paul Taylor and Arne Naess. Schmidtz (1998) attempts to explain why some species command our respect but not necessarily equal respect. He does this by stating and ...
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