NeuralNerd, 10 months ago

So in your ethical theory, harm doesn’t matter at all?

You seem to follow some kind of deontology. There’s no obligation in your system to not cause unnecessary harm? I guess you have some obligation not to hurt your dog even if you like doing that. Isn’t that obligation related to the fact the dog would be harmed if you did?

Maybe it’s just a difference between consequentialism and deontologism, but I was convinced deontologists generally had some rules that prevent unnecessary harm. They don’t?

There’s at least Tom Regan who was a deontologist (at least in his book The Case for Animal Rights) and talks about harm:

In Regan’s view, not to be used as a means entails the right to be treated with respect, which includes the right not to be harmed.