Subjectivity and Goodness: Ontological Premises of Kindness to Animals

Zbigniew WRÓBLEWSKI

Abstract

The aim of the article is the presentation of a general outline of the teleological argument (TA) in favor of moral protection of animals. The main premise of this argument is the thesis about the teleological structure of animate beings, which is used for the purpose of justifi cation of their value. Justifi cation of the ontological premise of TA takes into consideration an analysis of phenomena taken from the organic world (such as subjectivity or internal sphere of animal entities). In the analysis of the axiological premises of TA, the connection between the purposefulness of a natural being and the values with regard to the goal, internal values and the fundamental moral relation with regard to natural being has been presented. The article comprises an attempt to interpret and develop the philosophical positions of, respectively, Hans Jonas and Robert Spaemann.

The article is part of the research project entitled “The Evolutionary Peculiarity of the Human Nature: Comparative Anthropological and Ethological Studies in Language, Communication, Mind and Action in Humans and Animals” funded with the support of the National Science Centre, Poland (Contract No: UMO – 2011/01/B/HS1/04462).