What do we owe animals in a world dominated by humans?

Through the purchase of meat, many of us subsequently condone violence toward animals on a daily basis.

On factory farms, chicken are often grown too fat to move, pigs frequently spend much of their lives in tiny crates and cows scream in agony for their children when they are taken from them.

But why should we consider animals on a more equal plane to humans? And, even if we were to care more for animals, what could that look like?

“I think our own lives would be improved if we had less single-use plastic or disposed of it more adequately through recycling.” — Martha Nussbaum, philosopher

Listen: Human cruelty to animals, and what changing that looks like.

Guest

Martha Nussbaum is a professor of law and ethics in the philosophy department and law school at the University of Chicago. She recently wrote the book, “Justice for Animals: Our Collective Responsibility.”

Nussbaum says there are a lot of ways to help both non-human animals and humans simultaneously.

“It’s not a zero-sum game,” says Nussbaum. “I think our own lives would be improved if we had less single-use plastic or disposed of it more adequately through recycling. And you know the air pollution that hurts birds hurts us too.”