Should animals, plants, and robots have the same rights as you?

Abstract

The idea of extending humanity’s moral circle and its implications for granting rights to non-human entities has been explored by philosophers, psychologists, activists, and others. The article contends that the expansion of the moral circle is a historical process enabled by several factors, including changing beliefs about who deserves moral consideration, technological innovations, and the work of activist movements. The expansion has faced challenges and controversies, particularly at the margins, including debates about whether fetuses or artificial intelligence should be included therein. While the expansion of the moral circle is often viewed as a form of progress, the article cautions that it is not necessarily linear and can involve both widening and narrowing of inclusion criteria. – AI-generated abstract.