“Neuroscience and the problem of other animal minds: Why it may not matter so much for bioethics”

Philosophy Department Colloquium

“Neuroscience and the problem of other animal minds: Why it may not matter so much for bioethics”

Andrew Fenton, Department of Novel Tech Ethics, Dalhousie University

Date: Thursday, March 17,2011
Time: 3:30-5:00pm
Place: California State University, Fresno
Speech Arts Bldg. room 154

A recent argument in the neuroethics literature has suggested that (i) the discovery of brain-mental-state identities could settle epistemological uncertainties about animal minds and (ii) dismantle the deadlock over their moral status. I will argue that (i) does not so much help us resolve the problem of other animal minds as mark its resolution. (ii) is grounded in a naive view of how our views of animals as subjects impact our moral relations with them. Focusing on animal research, I will argue that what is required is a sea change in the perceived grounds for human moral obligations to nonhumans.

For more information contact Dr. Terry Winant, 559 278-2621