Chapter 6
Speciesism Today ...
defenses, rationalizations, and objections to Animal
Liberationand the progress made in overcoming them
Wehave seenhow, in violationof thefundamental moral
principleofequalityofconsiderationofintereststhatoughtto
governourrelationswithallbeings,humansinflictsuffering
onnonhumans fortrivialpurposes;and wehaveseen how
generationaftergenerationofWesternthinkershassoughtto
defend theright ofhuman beings to do this. In this final
chapterIshalllookatsomeofthewaysinwhichspeciesist
practices are maintained and promoted today, and at the
variousargumentsandexcusesthatarestillusedindefenseof
animal slavery. Some of these defenses have been raised
againstthepositiontakenin thisbook,and sothischapter
provides an opportunity to answer some of theobjections
mostoftenmadetothecaseforAnimalLiberation;butthe
chapterisalsointendedasanextensionofthepreviousone,
revealing the continued existence of the ideology whose
history we havetraced backto the Bible and the ancient
Greeks.Itisimportanttoexposeandcriticizethisideology,
because although contemporary attitudes to animals are
sufficientlybenevolent—onaveryselectivebasis—toallow
someimprovementsintheconditionsofanimalstobemade
without challenging basic attitudes to animals, these
improvementswillalwaysbeindangeroferosionunlesswe
alter the underlying position that sanctions the ruthless
exploitationofnonhumansforhumanends.Onlybymakinga
radicalbreakwithmorethantwothousandyearsofWestern