Rating: 
Summary: An amazing read
Review: I cannot stress enough what an amazing book Animal Liberation is. I had always known the way we treat animals in our society is wrong, but nothing gave me the concrete and clear arguments I needed like this book to explain why animals do indeed have rights. I have heard many people, a few of whom have read this book, say that rights are a human-only attribute because only we have a moral or ethical structure, but obviously they did not read closely enough in order to see the very convincing argument Peter Singer lays out: there are mentally disabled individuals in our society who may not even be able to communicate at all, but who among us would say they did not have equal human rights, or at least the basic right to be free from pain? People who think "I will give animals rights when they ask for them" are missing the point entirely: it is up to us. Please, even if you don't agree with this viewpoint, read this book. It will give you an awakening into the world of animal rights in a clear and easy to read (but sometimes not easy to stomach) format. It also has an excellent bibliography and list of organizations at the end. If you don't think I've stressed it enough, AN EXCELLENT BOOK!
Rating:
Summary: Political arena?
Review: I read a lot of reviews on Amazon before I buy a book. It appears that the people (money hungry grant grabbers) who hated the book were already engaged in animal abuse and making their livings off the deaths of animals . You can always tell an animal experimenter and other exploiters of animals by their choice of words. Start messing with their source of income and they get nasty!This book is just the greatest! If you care for animals you need this book! I very much agree with one reviewer: We can think and are capable of compassion but look at what we have done to the world and each other. Based on our history I think animals have more rights than a lot of people. Sorry, but there is no argument when you say an animal does not have rights because it can not think.
Rating:
Summary: We're wasting animals. There's no excuse for it.
Review: I would just like to respond to people who say that animals shouldn't have the same rights as humans. The fact is that animal liberation doesn't necessarily mean giving them the SAME rights as humans. We don't have to eat them, we don't have to test on them. It's been medically proven many times over that we don't need to eat them and are better off NOT eating them. There's new technologies that are better that don't involve animal testing. For every company that tests on animals, there's another company that makes the same product but doesn't test on animals. And I'm tired of hearing the whole "animals kill each other" line. Let me quote Ghandi, "We err in copying the lower animal world - if we are superior to it." Basically, we're smarter than animals so why should say "they kill each other, so it's okay for us to kill them"? I find it very selfish to kill/hunt/test on/hurt something when there is no need or reason to do so. Much thanks for the book "Animal Liberation" and others like it.
Rating: 
Summary: Overall a Good Read
Review: This past fall I had the privelidge of seeing Peter Singer host a seminar by Richard D. Ryder, the author of "The Political Animal" at Princeton University. Seeing both men talk and discuss animal ethics with the twenty or so students in the class was qite interesting. After I saw them, I read "Animal Liberation." In all honesty I find it to be a bit repetetive after a while, but it is still worth reading. My interest wasn't lost in the book, I just got a bit bored. But then again, I'm not a vegetarian so I didn't agree with all that Mr. Singer had to say about animal ethics. If one is interested in animal rights and such, you'd probably find this to be a very interesting and worthwhile book to read.
Rating:
Summary: needs more stars!
Review: In response to the person who thoughtfully says that animals don't respect each other's rights, so they have no rights: Of course animals... are animals. We're talking about how HUMANS treat animals (and ultimately each other). And humans CAN think, reason, and have compassion. Your logic seems to say that animals are evil to one another, so we should copy our own ethics from them. Please read the book. Singer addresses this argument and many more very clearly and completely.
Rating: 
Summary: Animals don't have human rights
Review: Believe me, I sympathize with this book. I wish the lion would lie down with the lamb. The problem is that animals aren't equal to humans and don't have human rights. Animals routinely murder and mutilate, steal, rape, engage in cannibalism and infanticide--even the higher primates. They don't respect "rights." The snake doesn't respect the toad's rights, the toad doesn't respect the fly's rights, and all three don't respect mine. For them it is moral to engage in this behavior. (And no matter how hard I try, cats will not eat tofu-based Vegetarian Cat Chow.) These kinds of behavior in humans are decidedly immoral. And since we cannot raise animals to human level, if we decide they are equal to humans, what will happen is humans will descend to the animal level. Does this mean we should be cruel to animals and exploit them without mercy? No, it doesn't. It's bad for them, and it's bad for us. But it is a very dangerous thing to believe that animals are equal to humans--especially if enforced by law.
Rating:
Summary: This is the most persuasive case for animal rights.
Review: Peter Singer uses logic and reason, not emotion to persuade us that our circle of ethical consideration should reach far beyond our dogs, cats, and endangered species. He convincingly handles counter arguments and I challenge a reader to overcome his powerful reasoning. This book changed my life and I discovered a much greater spirituality that can be experienced on many levels. You have to read it to believe it.
Rating:
Summary: A paradigm breaker!
Review: This is a remarkable book that is certain to change your life--if you can read it with an open mind. As one of this century's premiere philosophers, Peter Singer challenges us on every level. This book's focus is our attitudes towards animals, which he claims is often 'speciesist'. His philosophical defense of this claim is masterful. His discussion of the facts--the way that our society treats animals behind our backs--is compelling and ire-inspiring. After setting a moralistic fire in our hearts, he offers suggestions on how to excise this cumbersome paradigm from our daily lives. Read it and look deep within your soul . . . you may not like what you see, but fear not: we've all got ample opportunities for change.
Rating:
Summary: The book most likely to change your way of thinking
Review: This book will prompt thinking about animal rights issues and will force you to contemplate your values. This book turned me vegan and is one of the greatest influences on my life. Truly must be read.
Rating:
Summary: the best book i have ever read....
Review: yes, here comes the cliche: this is one of the best books i have ever read....it fundamentally changed my life. it is a well researched philosophical treatment of a fundamental ethical issue. even if you oppose the animal rights movement, i encourage you to read this book because you may realize that you have been deceived...there is so much eye-opening information in this book.
|
