December 15, 2022

Debate Club – Friday 9th December

By Oliver L (Year 13)

Topic: “This house believes that humans owe animals equal rights ”

For the final debate of the term Debate Club tackled the subject of animal rights. The question of whether animals should be given equal rights to humans—recently brought to the fore of ethical debate because of Martha Nussbaum’s new book—is a complex one which requires a holistic analysis of principles such as consciousness and pain.

Led by Thomas N the opposition argued that equality is a social construct created by humans that cannot be applicable across species, citing examples of ant colonies using slaves.
Toby M of the proposition rebutted this point of view, arguing that all living species deserve the opportunity to live and prosper. In spite of this, the opposition continued to make a convincing case, with Gabriel H proposing that humans’ more advanced consciousness and rational thinking entitles them to a more advanced set of rights and also presenting the practical case that giving animals similar rights to humans could damage key industries such as agriculture. The proposition then proceeded to make the case that the intelligence gap between animals and humans is smaller and more irrelevant than we might imagine, with Johann G and Adam H instead positing that humans and animals share greater similarities due to the common experience of pain and are thus entitled to the same set of rights to protect against pain.

The opposition were declared the victors as they presented a more convincing case that related to both the practical and ethical implications of the statement. Thomas was awarded star debater for his excellent opening statement and use of humour.