Animal Ethics: A Contemporary Introduction

There are many introductions to animal ethics. There aren’t many introductions to the practice of doing animal ethics. Bob Fischer’s Animal Ethics: A Contemporary Introduction fills that gap, offering an accessible model of how animal ethics can be done today. The book takes up classic issues, such as the ethics of eating meat and experimenting on animals, but tackles them in an empirically informed and nuanced way. It also takes up relatively neglected issues, such as the possibility of insect sentience and the ethics of dealing with pests, and tries to evaluate practices using the moral frameworks endorsed by those involved rather than simply applying standard ethical theories. There are, for instance, chapters on animal care and use committees and on how international zoological societies justify compromising animal welfare. The Second Edition widens the book’s analytical lens while adding richer tools for classroom use. A new chapter on conservation, Indigenous rights, and animals brings non-Western traditions into the conversation. Every chapter now includes a “Further Reflection” section with structured discussion questions. The book wraps up with a discussion of opportunities for action, and each chapter includes suggested readings to help students go further on their own.