Brute Souls, Happy Beasts, And Evolution
Subtitle: The Historical Status Of Animals
Publisher: University of British Columbia Press
Published: October 30, 2005
Language: eng
Format: Hardcover
Number of pages: 480
ISBN-13: 9780774811569
Subjects: Animals & society; Animal Rights; General; Animals; History & Surveys - General; Life Sciences - Evolution; Philosophy
Description: "In this inquiry into the status of animals in human society from the fifth century BC to the present, Rod Preece provides a wholly new perspective on the human-animal relationship. He skillfully demonstrates that, counter to prevailing intellectual opinion, ethical attitudes toward animals are neither restricted to the twentieth century nor the result of Darwin's theory of evolution. They have been part of Western thought and culture for centuries." "Preece builds a cogent and persuasive argument, challenging current assumptions about the historical status of animals in Western civilization. He dispels the notion that animals were denied ethical consideration by Christian doctrine, refutes the claim that the Cartesian conception of animals as automata was widely embraced, and proves that "theriophily"--The notion of animal superiority over humans - was given greater credence than is commonly recognized. The exhaustive research and breadth of knowledge that Preece reveals in this book are matched by his belief in our ethical responsibilities to animals."--Jacket.