Animal Ethics, Animal Minds

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• The ethical case for and against different types of animal use
• Some main ethical theories on moral status of animals
• Some methods of studying animal minds

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Critically evaluate the primary ethical viewpoints on the moral status of animals and our duties towards them
• Articulate and defend your own views about the permissible use of animals in different contexts
• Recognise connections between moral philosophy regarding animals and the scientific study of animal minds

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• undertake, with adequate supervision, independent work, including identifying and using appropriate resources.
• work effectively to deadlines
• take notes from talks and written materials.

The syllabus may vary from year to year. Topics may include:

• Ethical theories and the moral status of animals
• What duties we have toward animals
• The emotional and cognitive capacities of animals
• Challenges in the study of animal minds
• The ethics of animal use in different contexts (e.g. agriculture, research, recreation)

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching methods include

• Lectures
• In-class discussion
• One-on-one consultation with module co-ordinator

Learning activities include

• Attending classes
• Contribution to class discussion
• Doing independent research for and writing assessed work

Resources & Reading list

General Resources

The science of other minds. Andrews, K. (2021). The science of other minds. The Animal Mind: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Animal Cognition (Ch. 3).

Journal Articles

Singer, P. (1974). All animals are equal. Philosophic Exchange. 5 (Article 6), pp. 103-116.

Formative

This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External