Emocije životinja, evolucioni kontinuitet i etičke implikacije

Ova disertacija se bavi pitanjem emocija životinja i preispituje njihov moralni status, ukazujuci na vezu izmedu tih pojmova. U radu cu braniti tvrdnju da, ako makar neke ne-ljudske životinje doživljavaju bazicne emocije poput straha, ljutnje, radosti i tuge, onda one imaju iskustvenu dobrobit i sopstvene interese koji su moralno relevantni. Razmotricu rezultate savremenih neuronaucnih istraživanja koji pokazuju da se moždani mehanizmi u osnovi bazicnih emocionalnih sistema nalaze u supkortikalnim oblastima mozga koje su homologne kod svih sisara. Preispitacu vec pomenutu neuronaucnu kao i bihejvioralnu evidenciju koja potkrepljuje hipotezu o evolucionom kontinuitetu izmedu ljudi i drugih životinja, ukazujuci na to da mnoge ne-ljudske životinje, pre svega sisari i ptice, imaju emocionalna osecanja kada se ponašaju emocionalno. Jedan od osnovnih ciljeva ovog razmatranja je ukazivanje na eticke implikacije zakljucka da mnoge ne-ljudske životinje doživljavaju emocije. U disertaciji cu nastojati da izložim uverljive argumente za tvrdnju da osecajne životinje sa emocionalnim doživljajima imaju sopstvene interese koje bi ljudi kao moralni akteri trebalo da poštuju i pripišu im moralni status. Pored toga, obrazložicu tvrdnju da je, radi zaštite njihove dobrobiti i interesa, potrebno promeniti pravni status makar nekih osecajnih životinja u status pravnih subjekata koji imaju odredena osnovna „ljudska“ prava
The thesis addresses the issue of animal emotion and questions their moral standing, indicating the connection between the two. I argue that if at least some non-human animals experience basic emotions such as fear, anger, joy and sadness, then they have an experiential welfare and their own interests that are morally relevant. I will discuss the results of contemporary neuroscientific research showing that the brain mechanisms underlying basic emotional systems are located in subcortical brain regions that are homologous in all mammals. I will examine the above neuroscientific as well as behavioural evidence to support the hypothesis about the evolutionary continuity between humans and other animals, indicating that many animals, primarily mammals and birds, have emotional feelings when they behave emotionally. One of the main purposes of this discussion is to point out the ethical implications of the conclusion that many non-human animals experience emotions. In the thesis I will endeavour to provide compelling arguments that sentient animals with emotional experiences have their own interests, which people as moral agents should respect and recognise their moral status. In addition, I will argue that in order to protect their well-being and their interests, it is necessary to change the legal status of at least some sentient animals to the status of a legal person, entitled to some basic “human” rights