Why Animal Suffering Matters: Philosophy, Theology, and Practical Ethics (book)

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Why Animal Suffering Matters: Philosophy, Theology, and Practical Ethics is a 2009 publication by Andrew Linzey. The book presents an argument for the extension of moral consideration to all sentient beings, a stance Linzey posits is more rational than commonly believed.

Linzey challenges traditional justifications for animal suffering, asserting that these often provide reasons for animal protection instead. He highlights the inability of animals to consent or represent their interests, their moral innocence, and their relative defencelessness as factors that obligate us to refrain from causing them harm.

The book critically examines three contentious practices: hunting with dogs, fur farming, and commercial sealing. Linzey evaluates the economic, legal, and political aspects of these practices, arguing from a rational standpoint rather than an emotional one. He concludes that these practices are both rationally indefensible and morally objectionable.