Source: Author: Leonila C. Crisostomo, Ma. Teresa G. Generales, Amelita L. de Guzman The primary purpose of this study is to ascertain the benefits of the National Service Training Program implementation and to identify the problems encountered by its implementers. Results showed that the benefits derived from the program were topped by enhancement of skills on basic leadership with emphases on the ability to listen and ability to communicate which were rated very important and very much benefited among (...) other training aspects of the program. Results also revealed that students are aware of the importance of physical, mental and social health as well as the observance of proper hygiene for overall sense of well-being. Although recreation is one aspect that the respondents find important, appreciation of it underscores the need to have more time for assignments and projects as most of the respondents are enrolled in their respective courses with 29 units, making them unable to appreciate the perks of involving themselves into various recreational activities. Problems in the implementation showed lack of provision of materials and equipment and of budgetary allocation which rendered full implementation weak as students and faculty involved in the community immersion have to rely on their own resources, in addition to the indifference and passivity of the local government officials. Based on the findings, the researchers recommended that: the school administrators need to allocate adequate budget for materials and equipment; periodic faculty development trainings and; to look into the passive attitude of the local officials to ensure that implementation NSTP projects will benefit both clients and implementers. ]]>. (shrink)

ABSTRACT Social media is becoming increasingly embedded in people’s daily lives. These virtual spaces are now regularly used as a tool for information dissemination. Drawing on the moral intensity literature combined with uses and gratifications theory, this research explores how using social media to consume information can affect the ethical decision-making process. This study compares the influence of two online media dissemination formats – an online news article and social media discussion thread – on individuals’ ethical perceptions and decisions. Results (...) indicate that social media usage has an effect on perceptions of social consensus, problem recognition, and ethical sensemaking. Overall, Social media is shown to inhibit ethical decision-making when used as an information dissemination tool. (shrink)

Paulo Margutti e José Crisóstomo discutem sobre a possiblidade ou a impossibilidade de ultrapassar o representacionismo correspondentista e principalmente o eventual linguocentrismo da filosofia contemporânea, pós-virada linguística, em que parece que da linguagem pode-se passar apenas à linguagem, a cujo círculo mágico estaríamos, desse modo, inevitavelmente presos. Sendo assim, o mundo “aí fora” novamente nos escapa e o relativismo, o agnosticismo e o ceticismo de novo nos espreitam. Em Nietzsche, é a linguagem, sempre metafórica, que se adéqua aos nossos modos (...) prático-perspectivistas, corpóreos e afetivos, de “recortar” o mundo, ou é o contrário? E em Maturana, o que vem primeiro? Para Crisóstomo, para quem no começo está o ato, ultrapassamos tudo isso através de nosso emaranhamento prático com o mundo, por meio da natureza sensível criativa de nossas práticas e pela tradução de crenças em condutas. Enquanto que, para Margutti, nada disso parece deslocar a primazia incontornável da linguagem, como prática ela própria. Sobre isso, Margutti pergunta pelo suposto aproveitamento, por Crisóstomo, no seu ponto de vista prático-poiético criativo, em versão alegadamente não idealista nem dualista, da noção de autoconsciência, central no idealismo alemão. (shrink)

O texto trata de entender a relação entre linguagem e realidade a partir de uma ótica particular, a que chamo de prático-poiética, a do nosso emaranhamento prático-material, social, produtivo, com o mundo, com práticas e com artefatos. Foca principalmente na crítica do que se pode chamar de uma posição wittgensteiniana a respeito do assunto. Mas também registra, brevemente, algo de uma posição peirciana, centrada na noção de mediação, e de uma posição antiessencialista sobre a mente, voltada para a linguagem ordinária. (...) Sempre tendo em vista a superação de uma perspectiva “linguocêntrica” por uma posição materialista prática, da qual fazem parte, como pressupostos, entre outros, as ideias de ação humana como poiesis, de crença como hábito de ação e da noção de uma coisa como constituída essencialmente por seus efeitos sensíveis. O que envolveria ainda um realismo prático e em um perspectivismo material, com consequências para nossos modos de entender linguagem e realidade, mas também, junto com isso, significação, conhecimento, ação, etc. O que inclui, reinterpretados, elementos do pragmatismo tanto quanto do chamado materialismo histórico, a partir dos quais a noção de forma de vida fica associada à de cultura material e à de práticas de produção material-espiritual, envolvida com objetos, objetivações – e linguagem. (shrink)

The text presents the basic elements for a new, detranscendentalized, poetic-pragmatic paradigm in philosophy, situated between pragmatism and praxis philosophy, a non-foundationalist, non-representationalist, anti-relativistic position essentially opposed to the dominant linguocentric or simply intersubjectivistic ways nowadays generalized in the non-mentalist philosophical scene, as well as it recapitulates the ways of concerted, plural team work and the platform behind the new paradigm’s progressive development.

O texto compõe-se de duas partes em confronto. Na primeira, mais breve, Waldomiro, partindo de uma posição cético-analítica, levanta um conjunto de críticas e indagações à posição prático-poiética, de Crisóstomo, que, na segunda parte procura responder a cada uma delas. A primeira posição, internalista, toma como central a noção de reflexão; a segunda, externalista, tem como central a noção de prática. Para a primeira, a filosofia deve lidar apenas com problemas isolados, que atrapalhem o fluxo da vida prática. Para a (...) segunda, também do ponto de vista da vida prática, a filosofia pode legitimamente ocupar-se da compreensão geral das coisas, orientadora, sem ser com isso dogmática nem transcendental. Na construção de seu ponto de vista, Crisóstomo parte de sua noção de intencionalidade sensível e de nosso suposto emaranhamento prático-sensível, criativo, com o mundo e as coisas. Um ponto de vista, então, que se pretende prático, não ascético, favorável à criação, que se constrói e se afirma por confronto com o empirismo, enquanto passivo, abstrato, mentalista, dogmático, e também com o linguicentrismo, enquanto idealista, relativista, “agnóstico”. Waldomiro vê com simpatia tal posição mas questiona como possivelmente demasiado ambiciosas sua abrangência, sua forma de justificação dialética, sua aparente redução de conhecimento humano a know-how, e eventuais inconsistências de um contraditório naturalismo criativo. Para Crisóstomo, por outro lado, é o ponto de vista de Waldomiro que arrisca envolver subjetivismo, artificialismo e inconsistência - na sustentação de nossas crenças. (shrink)

This paper offers elements for a revealing genealogy of Marx’s mature conceptions, brought up by a reconsideration of the philosophical positions of his ally Moses Hess and of the close theorietical relations between them. It resorts first to a narrative mode to underscore the place of Hess in that development, bringing into closer association their ideas, also with Young Hegelianism and Feuerbachianism from which they start. The companionship of Hess presents itself, then, as the living shadow of a lingering philosophical (...) past, as a specter still haunting Marx all along the dev elopment of “German Theory” into the materialist conception of history and the critique of political economy – from theology to anthropology to materialism, more of a continuum than a rupture. Involved in that process, we find their common concern for a “positive” critical position, through a transformation of the “philosophical fundament for socialism” offered by Feuerbach: man as species-being, bestowed with a universal, objective essence, now, with Marx, as the ensemble of social relations. Also on the background, the idea of Christianity as the distorted revelation of that real essence, and the religious realm as the illusory reflex of the earthly one. (shrink)

In this article I argue that Nietzsche resorts to a typical, ambitious Young Hegelian dialectical grand narrative to dramatically frame Modernity, elevate his own critical theory to unmatchable heights and find for himself a superior, unique position as Critic and Destiny, having as his main enemy the philistines (common human beings), and that which politically corresponds to them: civil society and democracy. Nietzsche’s epochal narrative exhibits a classical dialectical progression from Error/Negation, through Escalation, to Crisis, then Negation of Negation (Inversion), (...) and promised New Age, all of which entails the unwelcome consequences of self-aggrandizing exaggerations, determinism, negativism, binarism, otherworldliness, transhuman idealizations, and racial-caste-hierarchism that compromise the otherwise interesting side of his critical suggestions, once deflated, on culture and morality. (shrink)

O texto trata de filosofia e humanidades críticas pelo lado de sua virada linguística das últimas décadas, em especial do seu encontro no terreno das ‘teorias críticas’ em sentido bem amplo. A propósito da normatividade com que elas se têm envolvido, discute-as em sua relação com Marx e com o pragmatismo, que são hoje, possivelmente, junto com a virada linguística, suas influências mais determinantes. E discute-as ainda em relação ao próprio ponto de vista prático-material, não-linguocêntrico, do autor, incluindo aí acenos (...) a seus antecedentes brasileiros de pensamento. Tudo isso tendo em consideração as consequências de alcance prático-político, quiçá problemáticas, daquele desenvolvimento ‘linguistificante’, que hoje se estende mundo afora para muito além da academia. Por fim, tem também em vista um empenho de descolonização e uma disposição fazedora para a filosofia e as humanidades no Brasil. (shrink)

This text, originally the chapter 4 of BERNSTEIN, Richard, The Pragmatic Turn , Cambridge, UK: Polity Press, 2010, is published in this issue of Philósophos Journal by editor and author's license, courtesy to Prof. Dr. José Chrisóstomo de Souza, Coordinator of the Pragmatic Poetics research group and the International Center for the Study of Dewey and Pragmatism (CEDEP, FFCH/UFBA), the author of this translation, that, in this work counted on a participation of Ana Cabral as a member of the GPPP.

Entre os anos 1920 e 1940, aproximadamente, Sidney Hook, filósofo universitário e ativista político norte-americano, procurou desenvolver e aplicar uma leitura pragmatista e revolucionária das concepções de Marx, sob a influência do “instrumentalismo” de John Dewey, defendendo a ideia de uma coincidência essencial e de uma complementaridade – digamos, compensatório – entre as duas linhas de pensamento. O artigo trata de apresentar tal projeto filosófico hookiano, com referências histórico-biográficas, desde seus primeiros ensaios até o ápice de sua realização, passando pelas (...) polêmicas envolvidas e, finalmente, chegando ao seu gradual e – quase – completo abandono. Trata-se de uma narrativa que acompanha pari passu os desenvolvimentos da própria esquerda norte-americana no período e os cruzamentos, com ela, do pensamento e da atividade do próprio Dewey. (shrink)

Entrevista concedida a Linda Alcoff (CUNY) e Gregory Pappas (TAMU), originalmente para o Inter-American Journal of Philosophy, em inglês, aqui traduzida pelo entrevistado, com alguns retoques.

Apoiado nas fórmulas dos próprios jovens hegelianos, este trabalho procura caracterizar a principal oposição no interior do movimento. Tal oposição aparece agora como uma entre uma crítica pesadamente construtiva, a favor da comunidade como um universal estabelecido fora da consciência dos homens, e outra a favor da primazia do sujeito, “liberal”, e potencialmente “dissolvedora”.

Presentamos las dificultades relatadas por estudiantes de pedagogía de dos universidades latinoamericanas, en el contexto de la pandemia COVID-19. Los datos fueron obtenidos a partir de registros escritos y encuestas respondidas por los estudiantes y analizados a partir de una visión freireana de educación. Los problemas junto con el sufrimiento emocional de los jóvenes revelaron el distanciamiento entre docentes y estudiantes y entre sus pares, lo que impactó su proceso formativo. Una práctica educativa que valore el diálogo y los contextos (...) de intereses y motivaciones de los estudiantes se torna fundamental para su formación académica más humana, integrada y transdisciplinar. (shrink)

An adequate theory of rights ought to forbid the harming of animals to promote trivial interests of humans, as is often done in the animal-user industries. But what should the rights view say about situations in which harming some animals is necessary to prevent intolerable injustices to other animals? I develop an account of respectful treatment on which, under certain conditions, it’s justified to intentionally harm some individuals to prevent serious harm to others. This can be compatible with recognizing the (...) inherent value of the ones who are harmed. My theory has important implications for contemporary moral issues in nonhuman animal ethics, such as the development of cultured meat and animal research. (shrink)

In The Case for Animal Rights, Tom Regan argues that although all subjects-of-a-life have equal inherent value, there are often differences in the value of lives. According to Regan, lives that have the highest value are lives which have more possible sources of satisfaction. Regan claims that the highest source of satisfaction, which is available to only rational beings, is the satisfaction associated with thinking impartially about moral choices. Since rational beings can bring impartial reasons to bear on decision making, (...) Regan maintains that they have an additional possible source of satisfaction that nonrational beings do not have and, consequently, the lives of rational beings turn out to have greater value.. (shrink)

Анотація. У статті проаналізовані досягнення Соціального Вчительства Католицької Церкви, репрезентовані працями Лева ХІІІ, Пія ХІ, Пія ХІІ, Івана Павла ІІ, що розкривають змістовні характеристики поняття «принцип субсидіарності», його роль і значення в системі християнських цінностей. Принцип субсидіарності робить можливими такі взаємовідносини в соціальному житті, коли спільнота вищого порядку не втручається у внутрішнє життя спільноти нижчого порядку, перебираючи на себе належні тій функції; заради спільного добра, спільного блага вона надає їй у разі потреби підтримку й допомогу, узгоджуючи у такий спосіб її (...) взаємодію з іншими соціальними структурами. Принцип субсидіарності скеровує соціальну практику на утвердження спільного блага в людському співтоваристві. Поширення і застосування принципу субсидіарності протистоїть небезпеці «одержавлення» суспільства та найзагрозливіших проявів колективізму, обмежує абсолютизацію влади, бюрократизацію державних і соціокультурних структур, стає одним із гарантів дотримання прав і свобод громадян своєї країни. (shrink)

Produzidas a partir de determinadas concepções e posicionamentos políticos e filosóficos, as tecnologias expressam intencionalidades que orientam as dinâmicas sociais e afetam os seus usos, design e desempenho. Neste artigo, partimos do pressuposto de que as tecnologias não são produzidas e disseminadas de modo neutro, sendo afetadas pelo modo como gênero e raça estruturam as relações sociais. A partir de informações obtidas na Plataforma Lattes, do CNPq, e em sites institucionais, realizamos um mapeamento das docentes universitárias afro-brasileiras e africanas dos (...) países africanos de língua oficial portuguesa que pesquisam sobre tecnologias digitais e são vinculadas aos cursos de Ciências da Computação, Comunicação, Pedagogia e Ciências Sociais de universidades públicas, no período compreendido entre 1989 e 2019. Por meio de uma abordagem interseccional, analisamos como o fenômeno da brecha digital posiciona as mulheres negras no campo da pesquisa sobre tecnologias digitais e concluímos que, apesar de ser identificada a presença de docentes negras nas universidades desenvolvendo pesquisas sobre tecnologias digitais, sua participação nesta área ainda é incipiente. No que se refere aos PALOP, as informações disponíveis na internet foram insuficientes para que pudéssemos reunir elementos que garantam uma análise segura do fenômeno nas universidades públicas investigadas. (shrink)

Recent discussions in the just war literature suggest that soldiers have a duty to assume certain risks in order to protect the lives of all innocent civilians. I challenge this principle of risk by arguing that it is justified neither as a principle that guides the conduct of combat soldiers, nor as a principle that guides commanders in the US military. I demonstrate that the principle of risk fails on the first account because it requires soldiers both to violate their (...) strict duty of obedience and loyalty and to exceed their special obligations to protect their fellow comrades, the state, the state's constituents and other protected civilians. I then illustrate that the principle of risk fails on the second account since it conflicts with the commander's primary obligation to protect and promote the welfare and lives of his or her soldiers. I conclude by arguing that we cannot reasonably expect soldiers and commanders to adhere to the principle of risk until there is a radical, institutional-level transformation of militaristic goals, values, strategies, policies, warrior codes and expectations of service members in the US Armed Forces. (shrink)

Монографія "Функціональність релігії: український контекст".

Стаття С. Присухіна «Іван Павло ІІ про логіку діалогу між Католицькою Церквою та ісламом» присвячена філософськобогословським напрацюванням Папи Римського Івана Павла ІІ щодо аналізу змістовних характеристик поняття «діалог між католицизмом і ісламом», а також логіки його здійснення в непростому й суперечливому сьогоденні.

The goal of this study was to determine whether it is possible to teach children with serious decoding problems four text comprehension strategies in listening contexts. The subjects were 9-11 year old students from special schools for children with learning disabilities. All the students were very poor at decoding; half of the group were also poor listeners, whereas the other half consisted of normal listeners. The experimental children were trained in strategies of clarifying, questioning, summarising and predicting through a combination (...) of reciprocal teaching and direct instruction. The results indicated significant programme effects on a strategic listening comprehension test. A transfer effect on general listening comprehension and general reading comprehension tests was not found. The poor listeners within the experimental group did not perform better than the normal listeners. (shrink)

O texto compõe-se de duas partes: 1) uma introdução sobre Ernst Tugendhat, seu percurso e seu trabalho, bem como seu envolvimento com o ensino da filosofia entre nós; e 2) um depoimento do filósofo alemão sobre o ensino de filosofia na universidade, apresentando suas opiniões e sua vasta experiência a respeito. Para ele, como para o introdutor, em vez de resumir-se essencialmente ao aprendizado da história da filosofia e à leitura dos grandes filósofos, o ensino dessa disciplina – algo como (...) uma “arte” – deveria incluir, desde o começo, o exercício da argumentação sobre temas e problemas e a redação de textos curtos nessa linha. (shrink)

Investigates the resolution of contradictions and ambiguous derogations in a code, by means of the imposition of partial orderings. Although formulated as a study in the logic of norms, it provided the initial ideas for work on the logic of theory (or belief) change, developed by the authors in a series of papers by the authors and Peter Gardenfors beginning in 1985.

Is it possible to be spiritual and yet not believe in the supernatural? Can a person be spiritual without belonging to a religious group or organization? In Spirituality for the Skeptic, philosopher Robert Solomon explores what it means to be spiritual in today's pluralistic world. Based on Solomon's own struggles to reconcile philosophy with religion, this book offers a model of a vibrant, fulfilling spirituality that embraces the complexities of human existence and acknowledges the joys and tragedies of life. Solomon (...) has forged an enlightened new path that synthesizes spirituality with emotions, intellect, science, and common sense. His new paradigm, "naturalized" spirituality, establishes as its cornerstone the "thoughtful love of life"--a passionate concern for the here-and-now, and not the by-and-by. Being spiritual doesn't mean being holed up as a recluse, spending hours in meditation and contemplation, Solomon argues. It demands involvement and emotional engagement with others in the struggle to find meaning in our lives. As such, this modern-day spirituality encompasses a passionate enthusiasm for the world, the transformation of self, cosmic trust and rationality, coming to terms with fate, and viewing life as a gift, all of which are explored in depth throughout this book. Spirituality for the Skeptic answers the need for a non-institutional, non-dogmatic spirituality that leads to personal fulfillment and satisfaction. By examining the ideas of great thinkers from Socrates and Nietzsche to Buddha to Kafka, Solomon arrives at a practical vision of spirituality that should appeal to many seekers looking to make sense of the human condition. (shrink)

CHARLES LESLIE STEVENSON, Associate Professor of Philosophy in the University of Michigan, though an American, has an important place in the evolution of British ethics in this century. It was in Mind that his first papers on ethics were published in 1937-8. They had considerable influence in Britain in promoting the emotive-persuasive theory of moral language. The author of the theory that much of philosophy and ethics is persuasive rhetoric, was himself a plausible illustration of his own theory. His breeziness (...) of style seemed to sweep difficulties out of the way. His papers had an unconventionality which appealed all the more to the younger generation of philosophers because it shocked the older. He seemed to discredit critics by not appearing able to understand the archaic language they were talking. The ideas of these early papers were taken up into a book, Ethics and Language published in 1944. The book is more ponderous and indeed somewhat pedantic. In it, Stevenson’s ideas lose in freshness what they gain in professorial gravity. But the impressive size of the book, the number and variety of the examples of moral argument which it discussed, the apparently wide range of the treatment, made the book for some time a sort of bible of emotivism. The book was also important as the first major study of ethics based on the neo-Wittgensteinian slogan that moral philosophy is the analysis of moral language. (shrink)

CHARLES LESLIE STEVENSON, Associate Professor of Philosophy in the University of Michigan, though an American, has an important place in the evolution of British ethics in this century. It was in Mind that his first papers on ethics were published in 1937-8. They had considerable influence in Britain in promoting the emotive-persuasive theory of moral language. The author of the theory that much of philosophy and ethics is persuasive rhetoric, was himself a plausible illustration of his own theory. His breeziness (...) of style seemed to sweep difficulties out of the way. His papers had an unconventionality which appealed all the more to the younger generation of philosophers because it shocked the older. He seemed to discredit critics by not appearing able to understand the archaic language they were talking. The ideas of these early papers were taken up into a book, Ethics and Language published in 1944. The book is more ponderous and indeed somewhat pedantic. In it, Stevenson’s ideas lose in freshness what they gain in professorial gravity. But the impressive size of the book, the number and variety of the examples of moral argument which it discussed, the apparently wide range of the treatment, made the book for some time a sort of bible of emotivism. The book was also important as the first major study of ethics based on the neo-Wittgensteinian slogan that moral philosophy is the analysis of moral language. (shrink)

CHARLES LESLIE STEVENSON, Associate Professor of Philosophy in the University of Michigan, though an American, has an important place in the evolution of British ethics in this century. It was in Mind that his first papers on ethics were published in 1937-8. They had considerable influence in Britain in promoting the emotive-persuasive theory of moral language. The author of the theory that much of philosophy and ethics is persuasive rhetoric, was himself a plausible illustration of his own theory. His breeziness (...) of style seemed to sweep difficulties out of the way. His papers had an unconventionality which appealed all the more to the younger generation of philosophers because it shocked the older. He seemed to discredit critics by not appearing able to understand the archaic language they were talking. The ideas of these early papers were taken up into a book, Ethics and Language published in 1944. The book is more ponderous and indeed somewhat pedantic. In it, Stevenson’s ideas lose in freshness what they gain in professorial gravity. But the impressive size of the book, the number and variety of the examples of moral argument which it discussed, the apparently wide range of the treatment, made the book for some time a sort of bible of emotivism. The book was also important as the first major study of ethics based on the neo-Wittgensteinian slogan that moral philosophy is the analysis of moral language. (shrink)

Previous studies have found Forsyth’s Ethical Position Questionnaire (EPQ) to vary between countries, but none has made a systematic evaluation of its psychometric properties across consumers from many countries. Using confirmatory factor analysis and multi-group LISREL analysis, this paper explores the factor structure of the EPQ and the measurement equivalence in five societies: Austria, Britain, Brunei, Hong Kong and USA. The results suggest that the modified scale, measuring idealism and relativism, was applicable in all five societies. Equivalence was found across (...) Britain, Brunei and USA, but the original scale cannot be used validly. (shrink)

Gravitational decoherence (GD) refers to the effects of gravity in actuating the classical appearance of a quantum system. Because the underlying processes involve issues in general relativity (GR), quantum field theory (QFT), and quantum information, GD has fundamental theoretical significance. There is a great variety of GD models, many of them involving physics that diverge from GR and/or QFT. This overview has two specific goals along with one central theme:(i) present theories of GD based on GR and QFT and explore (...) their experimental predictions;(ii) place other theories of GD under the scrutiny of GR and QFT, and point out their theoretical differences. We also describe how GD experiments in space in the coming decades can provide evidence at two levels:(a) discriminate alternative quantum theories and non-GR theories;(b) discern whether gravity is a fundamental or an effective theory. (shrink)

This book is parapsychological study of the meaningful coincidence of events, extrasensory perception, and similar phenomena.

These papers treat those issues involved in formulating a logic of propositional attitutudes and consider the relevance of the attitudes to the continuing study of both the philosophy of language and the philosophy of mind. Table of Contents: Introduction, by C. Anthony Anderson and Joseph Owens Quine on Quantifying In, by Kit Fine Prolegomena to a Structural Theory of Belief and Other Attitudes, by Hans Kemp A Study in Comparitive Semantics, by Ernest LePore and Barry Loewer Wherein is Language Social?, (...) by Tyler Burge Narrow Content, by Robert Stalnaker Cognitive Access and Semantic Puzzles, by Joseph Owens On Some Thought-Experiments About Mind and Meaning, by John Wallace and H. E. Mason Belief and the Indentity of Reference, by Keith S. Dennellan A Millian Heir Rejects the Wages of Sinn, by Nathan Salmon The Mode-of-Presentation Problem, by Stephen Schiffer Consciousness and Intentionality: Robots With and Without the Right Stuff, by Keith Gunderson Consciousness, Unconsciousness, and Intentionality, by John R. Searle. (shrink)

Because factory-farmed meat production inflicts gratuitous suffering upon animals and wreaks havoc on the environment, there are morally compelling reasons to become vegetarian. Yet industrial plant agriculture causes the death of many field animals, and this leads some to question whether consumers ought to get some of their protein from certain kinds of non factory-farmed meat. Donald Bruckner, for instance, boldly argues that the harm principle implies an obligation to collect and consume roadkill and that strict vegetarianism is thus immoral. (...) But this argument works only if the following claims are true: all humans have access to roadkill, roadkill would go to waste if those who happen upon it don’t themselves consume it, it’s impossible to harvest vegetables without killing animals, the animals who are killed in plant production are all-things-considered harmed by crop farming, and the best arguments for vegetarianism all endorse the harm principle. As I will argue in this paper, each claim is deeply problematic. Consequently, in most cases, humans ought to strictly eat plants and save the roadkill for cats. (shrink)

Because spaying/neutering animals involves the harming of some animals in order to prevent harm to others, some ethicists, like David Boonin, argue that the philosophy of animal rights is committed to the view that spaying/neutering animals violates the respect principle and that Trap Neuter Release programs are thus impermissible. In response, I demonstrate that the philosophy of animal rights holds that, under certain conditions, it is justified, and sometimes even obligatory, to cause harm to some animals in order to prevent (...) greater harm to others. As I will argue, causing lesser harm to some animals in order to prevent greater harm to others, as TNR programs do, is compatible with the recognition of the inherent value of the ones who are harmed. Indeed, we can, and do, spay/neuter cats while acknowledging that they have value in their own right. (shrink)