# Evolutional Ethics and Animal Psychology

Evolutional Ethics and Animal Psychology is an 1897 book by the American scholar and early animal rights advocate Edward Payson Evans. It is an in-depth exploration of the intersection between ethical theory and animal psychology, with a particular focus on the rights of animals and the moral obligations humans have toward them.

## Background

Evolutional Ethics and Animal Psychology was preceded by Evans' 1894 paper "Ethical Relations Between Man and Beast", in which he critiques anthropocentric moral views that deny animals moral consideration based on their lack of rationality. He challenges traditional theological positions, such as those of William Paley and Thomas Aquinas, which view animals solely as tools for human use. Evans calls for a more compassionate, scientifically informed understanding of animals, recognizing their mental and moral qualities. He highlights the ethical issues surrounding animal suffering, insufficient legal protections, and systemic cruelty, urging a rethinking of humanity's moral obligations toward animals and advocating for a more humane view of their place in the world.

## Summary

The book argues that a thorough understanding of animal psychology is essential for establishing a sound ethical foundation regarding the treatment of animals. Evans begins by tracing the historical development of ethical concepts from the early stages of human civilization. In primitive tribal societies, moral rights and obligations were typically confined to blood relations within the same tribe, while outsiders, including both humans and animals, were often treated as enemies or as beings without rights.
As human societies evolved, so too did their ethical frameworks, gradually expanding to include not only all humans but also animals. Evans critiques the traditional anthropocentric worldview that places humans inherently above all other forms of life, arguing that this perspective is both scientifically outdated and morally inadequate. He emphasizes the importance of recognizing animals' mental capacities—such as their ability to experience pain, form social bonds, and exhibit behaviors that suggest a degree of consciousness—and contends that these capacities should inform how animals are treated ethically.
The book also delves into the influence of various cultural, religious, and philosophical traditions on the treatment of animals. Evans examines how beliefs about animals in different societies—from ancient to modern times—have shaped laws and customs, often leading to contradictory approaches to animal welfare. For example, while some religious traditions promote compassion toward animals, others justify their exploitation based on the belief that animals lack souls or higher intelligence.
Evans argues that these historical attitudes towards animals have often been more reflective of human ignorance and self-interest than of any true ethical consideration. He advocates for an ethical approach that is informed by the latest scientific research on animal behavior and psychology, urging a move away from seeing animals as mere resources or tools for human use. Instead, Evans proposes that animals should be considered as beings with their own intrinsic value, deserving of rights that protect their well-being and dignity.
The book culminates in a call for a revision of existing legal and moral frameworks to better reflect the ethical responsibilities humans have towards animals, grounded in an understanding of their psychological complexity and the evolutionary connections between all forms of life.

## Reception

David Irons, writing for The Philosophical Review, described the book as "an interesting, if rather popular and discursive, treatment of one of the applications of the theory of evolution." A review in the Journal of Education described the book as "an interesting and important contribution to the fascinating discussion of the relation of animal species and human races to each other."
Carl Evans Boyd's review in The American Journal of Theology was critical of the book's use of stories about animal intelligence which lacked "insufficient as a basis for generalization." Boyd also criticized Evans for a "failure to recognize that if expatriation be a natural right, it is a right only as against the state of origin, and can have no reference to any other state." Edmond Kelly criticized Evans' use of disputed Lamarckian theory in the book.

## Legacy

In a revised edition of Animals' Rights: Considered in Relation to Social Progress, published in 1922, Henry Stephens Salt cited Evans' book as an example of how the long-held distinction between human and non-human animal intelligence has been challenged by recent writers. Salt also drew attention to Evans' claim that humans need to move past anthropocentric conceptions that treat humans as fundamentally different and separate to all other sentient beings and that, as a result, no moral obligations are required towards them.
Writing in 1989, R. J. Hoage described the book as, in the 90 years since its publication, remaining unequaled in its scholarship and insight on the topics of evolutionary ethics and the ethical treatment of animals.