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Year 9 - Religious education

Peter Singer and animal rights

Changing world: How should the Earth's resources be used?

Unit Summary

In this unit pupils will investigate how worldviews adapt teaching in the light of contemorary concerns. They will examine how Christians and Jews have responded to ideas of dominion with a focus on responsibility for the earth. They will examine attitudes to animals and Islamic ideas of reason.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to explain Peter Singer's argument against speciesism and think about how it can be used to argue for animal rights.

Key Notes

  • Philosophical tools like thought experiments can help us reflect on our own views about animals.
  • Peter Singer argued against speciesism; the idea it is unfair to treat beings worse just because they are not human.
  • What matters morally is sentience; the ability to feel pain and pleasure.
  • Key examples where speciesism often happens are using animals for food and for experiments.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • speciesism: the belief that one species is more important than another
  • sentience: the ability to experience pain and pleasure

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Philosophers only think about moral issues related to humans.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain the lesson in two key points.

Philosophical tools like thought experiments can help us reflect on our own views about animals. Peter Singer argued against speciesism; the idea it is unfair to treat beings worse just because they are not human.

2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'speciesism'

the belief that one species is more important than another.

3. Correct this common mistake.

Mistake: Philosophers only think about moral issues related to humans. Correction: Some philosophers also consider animals and what level of conciousness or sentience they may have.

More Lessons In This Unit

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