La soggettività animale tra filosofia e diritto

Philosophical thought has been skeptical about animal subjectivity for a long time. However, this idea has recently achieved wide acceptance, as well as the existence of animal rights. Going far beyond the initial anthropocentric approach by Aristoteles and by Descartes (based on merely phisical data), a number of philosophical doctrines have been challenging the view of animals as "mindless beasts", favouring more subtle and problematic approaches such as the "ethics of sympathy" (Hume), and the "theory of utility" (Bentham), the latter aiming at the greatest happiness possible for most people possible, and extending the target to all animal beings. Lately, in the 20th century, theories of the so-called "neoutilitarism" (Singer) and the "theory of value" by Regan have led to the statement of specific obligations of the human beings corresponding to subjective rights of animal beings. This book by Simone Pollo thoroughly reviews the aforementioned philosophical path. Furthermore, neurobiological achievements in the field of animal sensitivity are examined. In the final part of the book, the Author takes into account the issue of animal rights from a legal perspective. As a matter of fact, law seems to be the most powerful tool when it comes to implementing equity principles in real life. Therefore it is the legislators' responsibility to move forward, ruling beyond the barrier of species in a comprehensive biocentric approach to the fundamental subjective rights.