Generic Animalism
Andrew M. Bailey, Peter van Elswyk
Abstract
The animalist says we are animals. This thesis is commonly understood as the universal generalization that all human persons are human animals. This article proposes an alternative: the thesis is a generic that admits of exceptions. We defend the resulting view, which we call ‘generic animalism’, and show its aptitude for diagnosing the limits of eight case-based objections to animalism.
Topics & Concepts
GeneralizationEpistemologyPhilosophyMathematical economicsPsychologyComputer scienceMathematicsEnvironmental Philosophy and EthicsPhilosophical Ethics and Theory