Regan's "The Case for Animal Rights"

Tom Regan's "The Case for Animal Rights" argues that many animals are subjects of a life, meaning they have beliefs, desires, and experiences. Because of this, they possess inherent value and moral rights similar to humans, particularly the right not to be used merely as means to human ends. Regan advocates for recognizing these rights, which implies that animals should not be exploited for food, entertainment, or research. His view emphasizes moral consistency—that if humans have rights based on capacity for suffering and consciousness, animals do too, requiring us to treat them with respect and justice.