Reading Notes by Christopher Lay

Los Angeles Pierce College

Department of History, Philosophy, and Sociology

Reading Notes on Excerpts Focused on Equality from Peter Singer's 1974 "All Animals are Equal"

Singer	"All Animals are Equal"	Philosophical Exchange 1: 103-16.
Reinterpretation of the Principle of Equality	"A liberation movement demands an expansion of our moral horizons and an extension or reinterpretation of the basic moral principle of equality."
Equality Doesn't Mean ...	"The extension of the basic principle of equality from one group to another does not imply that we must treat both groups in exactly the same way, or grant exactly the same rights to both groups."	"The extension of the basic principle of equality from one group to another does not imply that we must treat both groups in exactly the same way, or grant exactly the same rights to both groups. Whether we should do so will depend on the nature of the members of the two groups."
Equality of Consideration	"The basic principle of equality, I shall argue, is equality of consideration; and equal consideration for different beings may lead to different treatment and different rights."
Examination of Equality	What does it mean to assert equality?	"When we say that all human beings, whatever their race, creed, or sex, are equal, what is it that we are asserting?"
Factual Inequality	Non-egalitarians often point out that factually humans are not all equal.  Humans differ in size, shape, and abilities both physical and intellectual.  Thus, "if the demand for equality [is] based on the actual equality of all human beings, we would have to stop demanding equality."	"Those who wish to defend a hierarchical, inegalitarian society have often pointed out that by whatever test we choose, it simply is not true that all humans are equal. Like it or not, we must face the fact that humans come in different shapes and sizes; they come with differing moral capacities, differing intellectual abilities, differing amounts of benevolent feeling and sensitivity to the needs of others, differing abilities to communicate effectively, and differing capacities to experience pleasure and pain. In short, if the demand for equality were based on the actual equality of all human beings, we would have to stop demanding equality. It would be an unjustifiable demand."
Factual Equality	One can nevertheless assert equality by finding factual equivalences (like having a human body).	"Still, one might cling to the view that the demand for equality among human beings is based on the actual equality of the different races and sexes."
Factual Equality and Science	If one pins their argument against those who are against equality on facts, then one must appeal to science (the study of facts), but the sciences have not determined if differences in ability stem from genetic or environmental factors.	"At this stage of the investigation we cannot be certain which view is correct, however much we may hope it is the latter."
Singer on the Significance of the Facts	"Fortunately, there is no need to pin the case for equality to one particular outcome of this scientific investigation."
On the Relevance of Facts for Claims of Equality	"[T]he claim to equality does not depend on intelligence, moral capacity, physical strength, or similar matters of fact."	"The appropriate response to those who claim to have found evidence of genetically-based differences in ability between the races or sexes is not to stick to the belief that the genetic explanation must be wrong, whatever evidence to the contrary may turn up: instead we should make it quite clear that the claim to equality does not depend on intelligence, moral capacity, physical strength, or similar matters of fact."
A Moral Ideal	"Equality is a moral ideal, not a simple assertion of fact."
	"There is no logically compelling reason for assuming that a factual difference in ability between two people justifies any difference in the amount of consideration we give to satisfying their needs and interests."
Singer: Principle of Equality is a Prescription	"The principle of the equality of human beings is not a description of an alleged actual equality among humans: it is a prescription of how we should treat humans."
Bentham's Version of the Principle of Equality	Bentham: "'Each to count for one and none for more than one.'" Singer on Bentham: "In other words, the interests of every being affected by an action are to be taken into account and given the same weight as the like interests of any other being."	"Jeremy Bentham incorporated the essential basis of moral equality into his utilitarian system of ethics in the formula: 'Each to count for one and none for more than one.'"
Sidgwick's Version of the Principle of Equality	Sidgwick: "'The good of any one individual is of no more importance, from the point of view (if I may say so) of the Universe, than the good of any other.'"
Principle of Equality	"It is an implication of this principle of equality that our concern for others ought not to depend on what they are like, or what abilities they possess–although precisely what this concern requires us to do may vary according to the characteristics of those affected by what we do."
This Principle of Equality Supports the Opposition Against Racism and Sexism–and Speciesism	"It is on this basis that the case against racism and the case against sexism must both ultimately rest; and it is in accordance with this principle that speciesism is also to be condemned."
Suffering / The Source of Equality	In line with Bentham, Singer considers the role of suffering. It is the capacity to suffer that "gives a being the right to equal consideration."	"Bentham points to the capacity for suffering as the vital characteristic that gives a being the right to equal consideration."