What role does the claim that the capacity for suffering and enjoying things is prerequisite for having interests play in Singer's paper?
A) Singer argues that nonhuman animals have this capacity, and therefore, they have interests, which, according to the principle of equality, ought to be given equal consideration.
B) Singer argues that nonhuman animals have this capacity, and therefore, they have interests, which, according to the principle of equality, ought to be understood as the same interests as human interests.
C) Singer argues that nonhuman animals' capacity for suffering is not equal to humans' capacity for suffering, and therefore, their interests are not equal to ours.
D) Singer is using this to explain why the moral principle of equality does not apply in the cases of racism and sexism.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Singer's argument hinges on the capacity for suffering and enjoyment as the basis for having interests. He contends that since nonhuman animals possess this capacity, they have interests that deserve equal consideration, aligning with the principle of equality. This does not imply that their interests are identical to human interests (as option B suggests), nor does he argue that their capacity for suffering is unequal to humans' (as in C), nor is this claim used to discuss the applicability of moral principles to racism and sexism (as in D).

What Role Does the Claim That the Capacity for Suffering