Open the Cage (Facing the Challenges of Animal Rights)

Author: Ruigen
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2005-05-01
Features: In my opinion, the book you are holding is the best introductory read on the topic of animal rights. Tom Regan clearly explains what animal rights mean and should mean, and no one has contributed more to this understanding. As a recognized philosophical voice of the animal rights movement for decades, Tom Regan's views have always been radical in the true sense of the word—“getting to the root of the matter.” It is precisely this that allows him to condemn any animal testing, regardless of the perceived benefits to humans, based purely on moral grounds. I wholeheartedly agree with this stance, and it is also the stance that I have heard Tom Regan most eloquently articulate. Tom Regan's philosophy on animals is fundamentally original. It does not rely on existing philosophical systems or adhere to utilitarianism or any other traditional viewpoints. It is a product of a unique combination of intellect and heart. This is precisely why Tom Regan is beloved by those who care about animals, and it is also what makes this book so inspiring. The book is filled with profound thoughts, expressed in clear and concise language. Despite being written by a philosopher, readers do not need a philosophical background to understand and appreciate this work.
Perhaps the most famous (and rightly so) statement in the animal rights movement was long ago proposed by the philosopher Jeremy Bentham: “The question is not, can they reason? nor, can they talk? But can they suffer?” Tom updates this statement: “The question is, are they subjects of a life?” Tom adds equally important points that no one recognized before he systematically articulated them. The issue is not just whether animals can feel pain, but whether they are subjects of a life. This is one of those statements that linger in your mind long after you have read it.
To begin understanding this idea, you will realize you are confronting a completely new concept—a potentially life-changing insight. Animals have pasts, stories, and histories. They each have their own history. Weasels and bears, elephants and dolphins, pigs and chickens, cats and dogs: each is a unique life, not something to be used at will. Consider the implications of this: animals have mothers and fathers, often siblings too, friendship, childhood, youth, and maturity. They experience the cycle of life in ways that mirror those of humans (psychoanalyst Erik Erikson is famous for describing these stages of human life, but they are equally important in the lives of animals). Moreover, as Tom points out (another statement that lingers in the mind and challenges conscience), the well-being of animals depends on whether we care about this.
Tom’s opponents often say that we cannot know what would make an animal happy. Nonsense! There is nothing easier than this. A cow wants to live, to raise her calves, to roam in a natural world filled with sunlight, gentle breezes, and other natural elements. A cow does all that a cow naturally does, and she is happy: with cow companions, family, and life, rather than death. That is what a cow wants to do; that is what makes a cow happy.
Think about the worst thing that could happen in an animal’s life, and you know, it is to suffer and die prematurely. So, Tom’s philosophy tells us that we must do everything in our power to ensure that animals are spared unnatural, unnecessary, or unkind deaths.
Understanding all the complex layers in Tom’s simple statements, you will realize you are embarking on an intellectual journey that will take you to places you may never have wanted to go. You will confront questions you may never have considered before, just as I did after reading Tom’s book.
After careful research, my family found that Volvo Cross-Country cars are the best in child safety (we have two children). But where I live (New Zealand), all Volvo cars come with leather seats. If I could sacrifice the lives of a dozen cows for my car, how could I take Tom’s insights seriously? It is impossible. For me, it is impossible.
Or consider eggs: How are laying hens treated? To what extent can I trust the claims of those who profit from selling eggs? Are they eggs laid by hens or eggs laid by chicken farmers? If I take Tom’s insights seriously and I buy eggs—eggs that I do not urgently need—am I supporting the practice of killing hens who do not lay eggs quickly enough? How can anyone justify frightening and killing innocent animals? If hens are subjects of a life, does my decision show respect for them? If their living conditions are good or bad, does my decision help or hinder their well-being? There are so many questions about eggs. I am not sure, but I believe that Tom has first made me realize that taking the life of any animal is a serious matter, an extremely important moment that cannot be taken lightly. We cannot hide behind words or try to obscure the truth of what we are doing by using vague and ambiguous language. Even as I write these words today, Americans are doing exactly this—talking about shock, awe, and laws—while slaughtering people.
In this book, Tom explains that we must use words that everyone understands and use them in the way they are always understood. He will not allow the kind of vagueness I just mentioned, especially the pretense of those who abuse animals behind phrases like “humane treatment” and “responsible care.” Tom constantly calls us back to our best instincts. I am certain that animals, all animals, can feel love as humans do. I know Tom would agree with me. Here is his book—a book written out of love. It asks only one thing, but it is a radical and absolute demand: while we strive to live in a way that respects one another, we must also live in a way that respects animals.
Read this book and see if, when you put it down, you believe that in this dangerous age, this demand is the best hope for the survival of our planet.