From utilitarian to abolitionist and back in a month

Abstract

Utilitarianism prescribes maximizing well-being and minimizing suffering. Abolitionism, as advanced by Gary L. Francione, argues against animal welfare reforms, advocating instead for the abolition of animal property status and promoting veganism. The author recounts a period of identifying as an abolitionist, motivated by Francione’s arguments that welfare reforms are ineffective. However, the author ultimately rejected abolitionism due to several factors. Francione’s refusal to consider hypothetical scenarios involving animal testing, even to prevent significant harm, conflicted with the author’s utilitarian perspective. Furthermore, Brian Tomasik’s work on wild animal suffering suggests that a strict adherence to animal rights, by precluding intervention in nature, might inadvertently increase overall animal suffering. Finally, the author questions whether animals intrinsically value rights over well-being, suggesting that humans’ aversion to exploitation stems from the associated negative feelings, whereas animals in factory farms primarily suffer due to the objectively poor conditions. – AI-generated abstract.