First, the entire field is founded on a non sequitur. From the undoubted fact that many evolutionary continuities exist between human beings and the other animals, the conclusion that “the once-sharp distinction between humans and other animals” has become “blurred” simply does not follow. Any more than it follows from the fact that chickens and humans are both bipedal, that they cannot be rather easily distinguished from each other.
Give me a mixed crowd of humans and chickens, and I can infallibly sort all the chickens into one group and all the humans into another, with nothing left over “in between.” Same with chimpanzees.
In short, the founding premise of the field of animal studies is obviously, demonstrably, crashingly false. In reality, no one has the least difficulty distinguishing between human beings and any other kind of animal whatsoever. If nothing else, you can always tell the human beings by the way they’re dressed: They’re the ones in the white lab coats.
So, the entire field of animal studies is founded on a logical fallacy. That is one problem.
The other problem is its moral blindness.
– James Barham, “Human Nature Watch 3: The Animal Studies Movement” ( January 9, 2012)The Best Schools blog More.
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