Santuário Amor Que Salva

Veganism

“Why make such a difference, from the point of view of sensitivity, between men and animals? (…) Why shouldn’t they have the same rights? (…) [T]here was a time – I regret to say that in many places it has not yet passed – in which the greater part of our species, under the name of slaves, were treated by the law on exactly the same footing as, for example in England , lower animal breeds are still treated today.

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The day may come when the rest of the animal creation acquires those rights which should never have been taken away from them, if it were not for tyranny. (…) The day may come when it will be recognized that the number of legs, the hairy skin, or the extremity of the os sacrum constitute equally insufficient reasons for abandoning a sensitive being to the same fate. What other factor could demarcate the dividing line that distinguishes men from other animals? Would it be the faculty of reasoning, or perhaps the faculty of speaking? However, an adult horse or dog is incomparably more rational and more social and polite than a one-day-old, or a week-old, or even a month-old baby.

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However, let's suppose the case were different: even in this hypothesis, what would this demonstrate? The problem is not whether animals can reason; It doesn't matter whether they speak or not;

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the real problem is this: can they suffer?”

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BENTHAM, 1979, p. 63