“This book is groundbreaking because it offers a unique approach to animal ethics. ... Its strengths lie in its well- organized structure, extensive references, and formal academic tone, making it an excellent resource for scholars and anyone with a strong interest in animal ethics. ... It is a thought-provoking read that inspires further exploration into the fascinating world of animal communication. Personally, as someone fascinated by the animal world, this book opened my eyes to new possibilities in interspecies interactions.” (Nithin Varghese, The Philosophical Quarterly, May 29, 2024)
Animals, Ethics, and Language
The Philosophy of Meaningful Communication in the Lives of Animals
von Rebekah HumphreysWith an ever-growing body of evidence on the links between different oppressions, never have the debates in Critical Animal Studies surrounding intersectionality in relation to animal ethics been more important. In particular, the arguments related to anthropomorphic attributes of mentality to other than humans promise to provide fruitful new ground for re-assessing human-animal relations. This book maps the central debates surrounding anthropomorphism in relation to our descriptions of animals, their lives, animal mentality, and meaningful communication in the nonhuman world. Rebekah Humphreys synthesizes the work of critical animal theorists, philosophers, and cognitive ethologists, and provides a critical account of how the debates concerning anthropomorphism play a key role in a proper understanding of animal ethics.
