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presents Personhood,
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A Lecture
by Gary Varner
Thursday,
December 5 |
"Person" is a term of art in ethical theory, which is used to pick out individuals on the basis of cognitive abilities rather than species membership-individuals whose lives and/or interests have special moral significance in virtue of having special cognitive capacities. Varner discusses these special uses of the term "person." Locating the role of memory in the most plausible account of personhood, he explores the application of the term to elephants, and analyzes the practical moral significance of personhood so conceived in order to determine what kinds of scientific evidence would help us answer the question of whether or not various animals are persons. |
| Varner wrote one of the first dissertations on environmental ethics and has since published a book and over 25 articles on related topics. His book, In Nature's Interests? Interests, Animal Rights and Environmental Ethics (Oxford University Press, 1998), provides an original analysis of what it means to have morally significant interests and examines the alleged divide between animal rights views and sound environmental policy. His published papers cover related topics in medical research, cloning, animal agriculture and human nutrition, as well as philosophical issues associated with the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the property takings debate. |
Lecture is free and open to the public.
For special
accommodation, call 565-2266.
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CEP - PHIL - UNT - December 1. 2002 |
