Animal Rights/ Morals

Animal Rights/Morals
According to Carl Cohen a right is a claim, or potential claim that one party may exercise against another (Cohen, pg. 759). Mr. Cohen has written a ten page essay regarding and defining in his terms the connection between morals, rights and animal rights which he believes non-existent. Mr. Cohen is of a belief that while some life on this earth may have rights others do not, peaceful coexistence can exist through compassion and enlightenment. He goes to great lenghts to explain his theories. Simply put, Carl Cohen believes man is a moral animal and says humans confront choices that are purely moral; lay down moral laws for others and themselves (Cohen, pg. 760).
It is important to understand his perspective in order to understand the argument against animal rights. Animals lack the capacity for free moral judgement. Because they have no capacity for moral judgement they have no rights, therefore none can be violated. Mr. Cohen makes it clear and...