Gary L. Francione est un éminent philosophe du droit animal et de la théorie éthique, reconnu pour sa critique des lois sur le bien-être animal. Sa théorie abolitionniste des droits des animaux prône le véganisme et la non-violence comme principes fondamentaux. Francione se distingue en soutenant que les animaux ne peuvent être moralement justifiés pour une utilisation en aucune circonstance. Sa théorie s'applique à tous les êtres sensibles, pas seulement à ceux dotés de capacités cognitives plus avancées.
Two-thirds of Americans polled by the Associated Press agree with the following statement: 'An animal's right to live free of suffering should be just as important as a person's right to live free of suffering.' This title is a guidebook to examining our social and personal ethical beliefs.
A powerful re-examination of the animal rights movement and its shortcomings
Gary L. Francione is a law professor and leading philosopher of animal rights theory. Robert Garner is a political theorist specializing in the philosophy and politics of animal protection. Francione maintains that we have no moral justification for using nonhumans and argues that because animals are property—or economic commodities—laws or industry practices requiring "humane" treatment will, as a general matter, fail to provide any meaningful level of protection. Garner favors a version of animal rights that focuses on eliminating animal suffering and adopts a protectionist approach, maintaining that although the traditional animal-welfare ethic is philosophically flawed, it can contribute strategically to the achievement of animal-rights ends.As they spar, Francione and Garner deconstruct the animal protection movement in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, and elsewhere, discussing the practices of such organizations as PETA, which joins with McDonald's and other animal users to "improve" the slaughter of animals. They also examine American and European laws and campaigns from both the rights and welfare perspectives, identifying weaknesses and strengths that give shape to future legislation and action.
Why Veganism Matters presents the case for the personhood of nonhuman animals and for veganism in a clear and accessible way that does not require any philosophical or legal background. This book offers a persuasive and powerful argument for all readers who care about animals but are not sure whether they have a moral obligation to be vegan.