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Animal Ethics and the Nonconformist Conscience

  • Book
  • © 2018

Overview

Authors:
  1. Philip J. Sampson

    1. Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics, Oxford, UK

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  • Argues that debates about animal ethics draw on the linguistic resources of the prevailing culture
  • Offers a compelling analysis of the religious shaping of contemporary animal discourse
  • Uses primary sources to demonstrate the enduring influence of "nonconformist conscience"

Part of the book series: The Palgrave Macmillan Animal Ethics Series (PMAES)

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Table of contents (9 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xi
    Download chapter PDF

  2. Speaking of Animals

    • Philip J. Sampson
    Pages 1-11

  3. Animals, Language and Ethics

    • Philip J. Sampson
    Pages 13-26

  4. A Modern Story of Animal Advocacy

    • Philip J. Sampson
    Pages 27-44

  5. Innovation and Religious Discourses

    • Philip J. Sampson
    Pages 45-61

  6. Creation: What on Earth Are Animals for?

    • Philip J. Sampson
    Pages 63-84

  7. Fall: Animal Suffering and Human Agency

    • Philip J. Sampson
    Pages 85-102

  8. Redemption: Hope, Love and Restoration

    • Philip J. Sampson
    Pages 103-119

  9. A Persistent Language

    • Philip J. Sampson
    Pages 121-132

  10. Nonconformist Bricolage

    • Philip J. Sampson
    Pages 133-154

  11. Back Matter

    Pages 155-160
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Keywords

About this book

This book explores the religious language of Nonconformity used in ethical debates about animals. It uncovers a rich stream of innovative discourse from the Puritans of the seventeenth century, through the Clapham Sect and Evangelical Revival, to the nineteenth century debates about vivisection. This discourse contributed to law reform and the foundation of the RSPCA, and continues to flavour the way we talk about animal welfare and animal rights today. Shaped by the "nonconformist conscience", it has been largely overlooked. The more common perception is that Christian “dominion” authorises the human exploitation of animals, while Enlightenment humanism and Darwinian thought are seen as drawing humans and animals together in one "family". This book challenges that perception, and proposes an alternative perspective. Through exploring the shaping of animal advocacy discourses by Biblical themes of creation, fall and restoration, this book reveals the continuing importance of the nonconformist conscience as a source to enrich animal ethics today. It will appeal to the animal studies community, theologians and early modern historians.

Reviews

“This is an innovative book that presents a largely unknown tradition of Christian thought that not only influences contemporary perspectives with regard to animals, but challenges conventional hang-ups stemming from enlightenment and neo-Darwinian reason. It will be of interest within both secular and religious circles, and to those working in animal ethics and more broadly within animal studies and environmental humanities.” (Reading Religion, December 19, 2019)

Authors and Affiliations

  • Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics, Oxford, UK

    Philip J. Sampson

About the author

Philip Sampson is a fellow of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics, UK. His previous publications include Faith and Modernity (1997); Six Modern Myths (2001); and contributions to several edited volumes on animal ethics and philosophy.

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