page_title: Speciesism
hierarchical_section_title: Speciesism
caption_attribution_description: English: Cow and dog overlayed as an example of speciesism
context_page_description: Speciesism or specism refers to the differing treatment or moral consideration of individuals based on their species membership. Such discrimination involves treating members of one species as morally more important than members of other species, despite the individuals having similar interests.
  The term first appeared during a protest against animal experimentation in 1970. Philosophers such as Peter Singer argue that speciesism plays a role in the practice of factory farming, the use of animals for entertainment such as in bullfighting and rodeos, the taking of animals' fur and skin, experimentation on animals. Others, including Oscar Horta, argue that the refusal to aid animals suffering in the wild due to natural processes, is a form of speciesism.
  Singer and other philosophers assert that speciesism only occurs when the interests of different beings are similar.
context_section_description: Speciesism (/ˈspiːʃiːˌzɪzəm, -siːˌzɪz-/) or specism refers to the differing treatment or moral consideration of individuals based on their species membership. Such discrimination involves treating members of one species as morally more important than members of other species, despite the individuals having similar interests.
  The term first appeared during a protest against animal experimentation in 1970. Philosophers such as Peter Singer argue that speciesism plays a role in the practice of factory farming, the use of animals for entertainment such as in bullfighting and rodeos, the taking of animals' fur and skin, experimentation on animals. Others, including Oscar Horta, argue that the refusal to aid animals suffering in the wild due to natural processes, is a form of speciesism. 
  Singer and other philosophers assert that speciesism only occurs when the interests of different beings are similar. They argue that it does not apply when there is a reason for giving greater consideration to a member of one species over another, such as having certain capacities like consciousness and the ability to experience suffering, or having differing interests; for example, a pig does not have an interest in freedom of speech, but many humans do. Conversely, it would be speciesist to regard killing a severely mentally disabled human as morally worse than killing an animal if their interests are similar.
  The ethics, morality, and concept of speciesism has been the subject of substantial philosophical debate.
caption: Some philosophers argue that the differential treatment of cows and dogs is an example of speciesism. They argue that members of the two species share similar interests and should be given equal consideration as a result, yet in many cultures cows are used as livestock and killed for food, while dogs are treated as companion animals.
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