Moral Agency Justifies Human Exceptionalism

Joseph Bottum made the point here the other day , commenting on the tragedy in which a killer whale drowned one of his trainers, that humans have no moral claim to make against animals that would require them to respect our lives and bodily integrity. How can it be denied? That we have no rights claims against animals illustrates one of the special attributes of our intrinsic natures justifying an understanding of “rights” as being uniquely possessed by humans: Only we have moral agency. That is why the question about “what to do” about the killing has properly revolved around how to best promote animal welfare and protect human safety, rather than punishment and retribution.

Regardless of the grandeur of any animal—and killer whales, actually dolphins, are both awesome and intelligent—human exceptionalism can’t be denied. Our moral agency distinguishes us from all other known life forms in the history of the universe.  That matters from an ethical standpoint, both justifying uniquely human rights and imposing distinct duties upon us. Those who claim otherwise, it seems to me, do so in pursuit of agendas that cannot be achieved without pretending HE is not real.  But that doesn’t change the unique nature of our natures.