Singer’s Argument in Animal Liberation: Normative Views, Interest in Living and Aggregationism

Abstract

This paper examines the methodological, axiological and normative assumptions on which Animal Liberation—arguably the most poular work by Peter Singer— rests. It explores the tensions between the normative position this book intends to adopt, which tries to compromise as little as possible with any specific normative theory, and Singer’s views on preference utilitarianism and the replaceability argument. In particular, the paper tries to assess the way in which such tensions arise when aggregationism and the question of the interest in living are considered in relation to the use of nonhuman animals.