For the Animals
An Argument Guide
PT

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V19

"Humans come first."

Wrong criterion

They ground the defense of animals in faith, affection or hierarchy, not in sentience.

Why it is weak

As a general principle, it is plain speciesism, whether applied by vegans or non-vegans.

Rejecting speciesism means giving similar weight to similar harms, whatever the species. The exception is only the very rare case of a real, unavoidable conflict between a human life and an animal life, which is nothing like the everyday habit of exploiting animals where viable alternatives exist.

How to say it better

Similar harms deserve similar weight. Causes can have different priorities because of the number of victims, neglect and tractability, not because of species.

See also