Animal rights : current debates and new directions /

These 14 skillfully edited, high quality, and nicely balanced essays present a wide range of legal, political, and ethical perspectives on animal rights, and include some well-arranged sequences of competing arguments. Nearly all of the contributors are legal scholars (Gary Francione, Steven Wise); academic philosophers (James Rachels, Peter Singer); or both (radical feminist Catherine MacKinnon, editor and contributor Martha Nussbaum). The lone, valuable essay by a pair of scientists convincingly argues for greater caution in the construction of animal hierarchies based on our very imperfect estimations of the relative intelligence and self-awareness of various species. Several contributors critique overreliance upon simplistic formulas, such as the much-used "argument from marginal cases" (AMC), which asserts that since some (especially primate) animals possess greater mental capacities than some (infant, senile, or impaired) humans, there is no basis for preferential treatment of our own species. Several authors work toward the synthesis of multiple viewpoints, particularly philosopher Elizabeth Anderson, whose superb essay on the balancing of animal rights, animal welfare, and environmental concerns is one of the highlights of this strong collection, which includes a bibliographic essay. ^BSumming Up: Recommended. All academic libraries; of special interest for applied ethics and legal curricula. W. P. Hogan Eastern Michigan University