Moral Status

[Tim Gier]

Jeff McMahan on Moral Status An audio podcast from Philosophy Bites.

Many questions in practical ethics turn on questions of moral status. In this bonus episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast (originally released on Bioethics Bites), Jeff McMahan explores the issues surrounding the moral status of foetuses, those in persistent vegetative states, and non-human animals. This episode of Philosophy Biteswas made in association with the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics and made possible by a grant from the Wellcome Trust.

Listen to Jeff McMahan on Moral Status (19 minute audio podcast)

Jeff McMahan's bio from Wikipedia:

Jeff McMahan is an American philosopher. McMahan took his first degree at the University of Oxford and his PhD at the University of Cambridge, and is currently professor of philosophy at Rutgers University. He has written extensively on normative and applied ethics. His publications include The Morality of Nationalism (co-edited with Robert McKim; Oxford, 1997), The Ethics of Killing: Problems at the Margins of Life (Oxford, 2002) and Killing in War (Oxford, 2009), which deals with Just War theory and argues against the deeply held beliefs within the theory.

Jeff McMahan is an advocate of the higher brain death view. He claims that there is a difference between an organism's death and a person's death, because person (personhood) refers to the personality and higher-thinking type of responsiveness while organism refers only to the body in which a person is housed.

[Tim Gier]

I suppose that it's as interesting as well known animal rights activists who get paid by the same research universities that conduct experimentation on other animals, and we both know that's necessarily the case.

Roger Yates said:

Interesting that the podcast is "made possible" by pro-vivisection Wellcome - http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=110317&am...

[Carolyn Bailey]

I love the Philosophy Bites podcasts, someone really cool put me onto them a few months ago. I downloaded this one a few days ago,, now I just have to find time to listen to it! 

In regard to your comment, Tim, I think it's an interesting topic. Tom Regan spoke about it in his book Defending Animal Rights and I believe Gary Francione has also discussed it in regard to his work at Rutgers. 

Perhaps almost every person works for someone who is speciesist or could be regarded as an "abuser", so it's interesting to think about. 

[Tim Gier]

Hi Carolyn,

Philosophy Bites podcasts are great! For those who may be interested, here's the link to another podcast featuring Jeff McMahan explaining why he believes that other animals ought not to be used as food. 

http://philosophybites.com/2010/06/jeff-mcmahan-on-vegetarianism.html

Carolyn Bailey said:

I love the Philosophy Bites podcasts, someone really cool put me onto them a few months ago. I downloaded this one a few days ago,, now I just have to find time to listen to it! 

In regard to your comment, Tim, I think it's an interesting topic. Tom Regan spoke about it in his book Defending Animal Rights and I believe Gary Francione has also discussed it in regard to his work at Rutgers. 

Perhaps almost every person works for someone who is speciesist or could be regarded as an "abuser", so it's interesting to think about.