P&RR: In the realm of libertarian ethics, a critical and often contentious issue emerges when discussing the rights of animals. Rooted in a deontological legal theory, libertarianism traditionally centers its application on human beings, often excluding non-human entities from its ethical considerations. This exclusion raises profound questions within libertarian circles, particularly regarding the treatment of animals. Notably, the current framework lacks explicit prohibitions against animal abuse and torture – acts universally deemed as morally reprehensible. Some libertarians, acknowledging this gap, propose an expansion of the non-aggression principle (NAP), a cornerstone of libertarian thought, to encompass animal rights. This article seeks […]
Memes about animal resistance: Here’s why you shouldn’t laugh too quickly
Memes about animal resistance: Here’s why you shouldn’t laugh too quickly
ALEXANDRA ISFAHANI-HAMMOND: Memes galore centered on the “orca revolution” have inundated the online realm. They gleefully depict orcas launching attacks on boats in the Strait of Gibraltar and off the Shetland coast. One particularly ingenious image showcases an orca posed as a sickle crossed with a hammer. The cheeky caption reads, “Eat the rich,” a nod to the orcas’ penchant for sinking lavish yachts. A surfboard-snatching sea otter in Santa Cruz, California has also claimed the media spotlight. Headlines dub her an “adorable outlaw” “at large.” Memes conjure her in a beret like the one donned by socialist revolutionary Ché […]
JESSICA PIERCE: Our love affair with pets has never been more fully on display. The numbers bear this out. More than 1 billion animals are now being kept as pets around the world, with half of all households having one. In the U.S.,where pet-related spending topped $100 billion in 2021 for the first time ever, that figure climbs to a staggering 70%. Conventional wisdom is that more pets equals more happiness. The expansion of pet keeping is a sign, the pet industry says, of an expanding love of animals and an expanding circle of overall happiness. People are happy because […]
