Since Aristotle first set out his famous definition of the „political animal‟, numerous thinkers have re-interpreted, evaluated and attempted to extend the term to living beings Aristotle himself did not intend to endow with political rights. This essay will
primarily look at the works of thinkers like Wollstonecraft, Bentham, Latour, among others, who sought to include nature, i.e. non-human beings, into the political sphere. In their works they constantly challenged the notion of a „boundary line‟, which aims
to draw a distinction between the human and the non-human being. The main section will depart from an Aristotelian point of view in which characteristics would be absolutely necessary to having the privilege to entitlement of political rights. Afterwards,
specifics, which have been put forward by other thinkers and aim at incorporating minorities and non-humans into the political sphere, will be discussed. At the end of the piece it should become clear that ideas about a more inclusive approach to nature are neither new, nor are they bizarre and thus should not be dismissed indiscriminately. Limits of this all-encompassing inclusive approach are exemplified by the works of Nilsen.
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Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Aristotle's 'Political Animal' and its Limits
- Mary Wollstonecraft: Extending the Boundary Line to Women
- Jeremy Bentham: The Rights of Non-Human Beings
- Peter Singer, the Great Ape Project and Steven M. Wise: Advocating for Non-Human Rights
- Christopher Stone: Nature as a Legal Entity
- Bruno Latour: The Collective and the Politics of Nature
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This essay explores the concept of widening inclusion in democratic participation, specifically focusing on the inclusion of non-human beings in the political sphere. It examines how thinkers like Wollstonecraft, Bentham, Latour, and others challenged the traditional distinction between humans and non-humans, arguing for the expansion of political rights to include nature. The essay aims to demonstrate that ideas about a more inclusive approach to nature are not new or bizarre and should not be dismissed indiscriminately.
- The historical development of the concept of the 'political animal' and its limitations.
- Different arguments for expanding political rights to include women, non-human animals, and nature.
- The role of speech, reason, suffering, and other characteristics in defining political rights.
- The potential implications of recognizing nature as a legal entity and the challenges of representing its interests.
- The concept of the 'Collective' as a vision for a world beyond the human/non-human divide.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter sets the stage for the essay, introducing the concept of widening inclusion in democratic participation and highlighting the works of thinkers who challenged the traditional boundaries of political rights.
- Aristotle's 'Political Animal' and its Limits: This chapter examines Aristotle's definition of the 'political animal' and its inherent exclusionary nature, focusing on his views on women, slaves, and foreigners. It explores how Aristotle's ideas have persisted in modern societies, despite being contested over time.
- Mary Wollstonecraft: Extending the Boundary Line to Women: This chapter analyzes Wollstonecraft's feminist theory and her attempt to extend the boundaries of political rights to include women. It highlights her arguments against the social and intellectual exclusion of women and her emphasis on reason, virtue, and passion as key characteristics of political beings.
- Jeremy Bentham: The Rights of Non-Human Beings: This chapter explores Bentham's radical approach to inclusion, which aimed to politicize the natural realm by granting rights to non-human beings. It focuses on Bentham's emphasis on the capacity to suffer as a basis for political rights and his critique of the use of animals as mere objects.
- Peter Singer, the Great Ape Project and Steven M. Wise: Advocating for Non-Human Rights: This chapter examines the work of Peter Singer and Steven M. Wise, who have continued Bentham's legacy by advocating for the extension of basic human rights to Great Apes. It explores their arguments based on intelligence, awareness, and emotional needs and their critiques of the treatment of Great Apes as objects of entertainment.
- Christopher Stone: Nature as a Legal Entity: This chapter analyzes Christopher Stone's argument for recognizing nature as a legal entity, with rights similar to those of corporations or nation-states. It discusses Stone's challenge to Aristotle's requirement of speech for political rights and his view that nature's interests can be represented by spokespersons.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The primary focus of this essay lies on the expansion of democratic participation, specifically in the realm of non-human inclusion. This exploration involves crucial concepts such as the 'political animal,' boundary lines, democratic rights, non-human rights, animal rights, nature rights, and the 'Collective.' These themes are further explored through examination of influential thinkers, including Aristotle, Mary Wollstonecraft, Jeremy Bentham, Peter Singer, Steven M. Wise, Christopher Stone, and Bruno Latour. The essay highlights the ongoing debate surrounding the inclusion of non-human beings in the political sphere and the critical need for a more inclusive understanding of democratic participation.
- Citation du texte
- Christian Scheinpflug (Auteur), 2010, Widening Inclusion, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/175323
