Elephants, Personhood, and Moral Status

Perspect Biol Med. 2023;66(1):3-14. doi: 10.1353/pbm.2023.0001.ABSTRACTThis essay uses the lens of moral status to explore the question of whether elephants ought to count as persons under the law. After distinguishing descriptive, moral, and legal concepts of personhood, the author argues that elephants are (descriptively) at least "borderline persons," justifying an attribution of full moral status and, thereby, a solid basis for legal personhood. A final section examines broad implications of elephant personhood.PMID:38662005 | DOI:10.1353/pbm.2023.0001
Source: Perspectives in Biology and Medicine - Category: Medical Ethics Authors: Source Type: research