2. Kant’s view on animals is ‘anthropocentric’ in that it is based on a sharp distinction between humans and non-human animals. According to Kant, only humans have intrinsic value. Animals, in his view, have no intrinsic value and exist as mere objects for use by humans.

3. The main propositions of Kant’s ‘indirect duty’ view:
Unlike humans, animals are not rational, autonomous or self-conscious.
Animals are not moral agents. They cannot make moral judgments. They cannot understand duty; nor can they be held responsible for their actions.

4. Animals are not members of the moral community (the ‘kingdom of ends’).
Humans do not have moral duties to animals. Humans only have duties to other members of the moral community (i.e. humans).

5. Cruelty to animals, however, is wrong because mistreatment of animals may lead to mistreatment of humans (i.e. cruel treatment of animals can have damaging effects on a person’s character).
We have to be kind to animals because we have ‘indirect duties’ to other humans.

6. Peter Singer is a utilitarian thinker who argues against speciesism
Peter Singer is a utilitarian thinker who argues against speciesism. In Singer’s view, animals are capable of pleasure and suffering, and therefore they are morally considerable in the same way that humans are considerable.

7. The main propositions of Singer’s principle of ‘equal consideration of interests’:
Speciesism, like racism and sexism, is a form of discrimination.
All sentient beings, humans and animals alike, are equally morally considerable.

8. The similar interests of different sentient beings should be given equal weight in moral deliberations.
Moral consideration has nothing to do with individual differences in capacities (i.e. despite these differences, we should give equal consideration to the similar interests of all sentient beings).

9. Equality is not a descriptive fact, but a prescriptive ideal of how others should be treated.
‘Equal consideration of interests’ does not necessarily imply identical treatment because different sentient beings may have different needs and interests.

10. Tom Regan is a deontological rights theorist who argues that humans and non-human animals should have equal rights because of their equal intrinsic value.

11. The main propositions of Regan’s ‘strong animal rights position’:
Animals, like humans, are the subjects of their own lives and their own experiences (subjects-of-a-life).
Animals, like humans, exist for purposes of their own; they do not exist for anyone else.

12. Animals, like humans, are subjects-of-a-life (ends in themselves)
Animals, like humans, are subjects-of-a-life (ends in themselves). As such, they have inherent value (intrinsic value) just as humans do.
Animals should be accorded equal rights as humans (for protection of their inherent value).

13. The current system (economic, social, political, etc
The current system (economic, social, political, etc.) is based on the false assumption that animals exist as ‘resources’ (mere objects) for use by humans.
Factory farming and animal research should be abolished because these practices involve violations of animal rights.

14. In recent decades, mechanized methods of production have been applied to livestock farming in order to mass produce meat for human consumption. As a result, the well- being of factory-farmed animals are systematically sacrificed in every way to reduce expenditures and thereby maximize profits.

15. While some instances of animal experimentation promise great benefits to humans (and other animals), many instances of animal research do not produce benefits that outweigh the harms they inflict. Apart from that, the results of some of these experiments cannot be reliably extrapolated to cases involving humans.

16. From Singer’s utilitarian point of view, factory farming and animal experimentation cannot be morally justified if the pain and suffering caused to the animals outweigh the benefits to humans.

17. On the other hand, according to Tom Regan’s strong animal rights position, to defend animal rights is to claim that certain ways of treating animals can never be morally justified on utilitarian grounds.

18. In Regan’s view, factory farming and animal research should be abolished because such practices violate animal rights by treating animals as mere means (resources) rather than subjects-of-a-life (ends in themselves).