"The doctrine of human dignity says that humans merit a level of moral concern wholly different from that accorded to mere animals; for this to be true, there would have to be some big, morally significant difference between them. Therefore, any adequate defense of human dignity would require some conception of human beings as radically different from other animals. But that is precisely what evolutionary theory calls into question. It makes us suspicious of any doctrine that sees large gaps of any sort between humans and all other creatures. This being so, a Darwinian may conclude that a successful defense of human dignity is most unlikely."
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Atheists from the United StatesAcademics from the United StatesPhilosophers from the United StatesNon-fiction authors from the United StatesPeople from Georgia (U.S. state)
Original Language: English
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Created from Animals (1990), p. 172
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/James_Rachels
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James Rachels
James Rachels (30 May 1941 – 5 September 2003) was an American philosopher who specialized in ethics and animal rights.
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