Kantianism for Animals

This open access book revises Kant’s ethical thought in one of its most notorious respects: its exclusion of animals from moral consideration. The book gives readers in animal ethics an accessible introduction to Kant’s views on our duties to others, and his view that we have only ‘indirect’ duties regarding animals. It then investigates how one would have to depart from Kant in order to recognise that animals matter morally for their own sake. Particular attention is paid to Kant’s ‘Formula of Humanity,' the role of autonomy and the moral law, as well as Kant’s notions of practical reason and animal instinct. The result is a deliberately amended version of Kantianism which nevertheless remains faithful to central aspects of Kant’s thought. The book’s final part illustrates the framework’s use in applied contexts, addressing the issues of using animals as mere means, the ethics of veganism and vegetarianism, and environmental protection. Nico Dario Müller shows how, when furnished with duties to animals, Kant's moral philosophy can be a powerful resource for animal ethicists. 

“Kantianism for Animals is an excellent book. In rigorous yet accessible prose, it clearly explains how Kantian ethics works, what makes this theory compelling, and what makes this theory compatible with a radical vision for animal rights. Kantians and non-Kantians alike will benefit from reading this book and incorporating its many insights into their thinking about what we owe other animals.” (Jeff Sebo, Affiliated Professor of Bioethics, Medical Ethics, Philosophy, and Law, New York University, USA)

“Müller's arguments merit attention from Kantians generally, not only from those seeking to establish duties to animals. Noteworthy aspects of Müller's approach include his distinction between bases of moral respect and moral concern, his account of the directionality of ethical duties, his grounding duties to animals in the obligatory end of others' happiness, and his exclusively first-personal accountof the authority of morality.” (Lara Denis, Professor of Philosophy, Agnes Scott College, USA)

“This is a very original contribution that does something quite different from previous animal-friendly versions of Kantianism, say as found in books by Tom Regan or Christine Korsgaard.  The author has considered all of the recent scholarship as well as Kant’s texts themselves.  Further, Müller treats in detail nuanced distinctions made by Kant that are frequently either ignored or misunderstood.” (Daniel A. Dombrowski, Professor of Philosophy, Seattle University, USA)

“With this book, Nico Müller proposes a completely new approach to Kantian animal ethics. His argument has the great advantage of reading the Kantian text competently and rigorously, avoiding instrumental interpretations of Kant's thought. His 'Kantianism for Animals' is one of the most convincing proposals so far advanced for a deontological approach in animal and environmental ethics.” (Federica Basaglia, Lecturer in Philosophy, University of Konstanz, Germany)

“This original work is a major contribution to the field of Kantian animal ethics. Müller’s revisionist approach challenges popular readings and shows how constructive an adjusted version of Kantianism can be for animal ethics. His radical agenda is an imperative for Kantians and animal ethicists. Müller argues in a careful and refreshingly original way that animals merit moral attention, in the same way and for the same reasons as human beings.” (Samuel Camenzind, Senior Scientist, University of Vienna, Austria)

Nico Dario Müller is a philosopher and postdoctoral researcher in ethics at the University of Basel, Switzerland.