E-grāmata: Asian Perspectives on Animal Ethics: Rethinking the Nonhuman [Taylor & Francis e-book]

Scholars of religion and philosophy explore attitudes toward non-human animals in various Asian systems of thought and belief, considering the underlying metaphysical and epistemological structures, historical concerns, and doctrinal differences within each tradition. They cover the shared existential trajectory among humans and non-humans in Jainism; what the Jatakas teach Levinas about giving the bread from ones own mouth; the place of non-human animals in a Confucian world order; Heidegger and Zhuangzi on the non-human; the argument for Ahimsa in the Anusasanaparvan of the Mahabharata; Zen Master Dogen on the moral status of non-human animals; non-human animals and the question of rights from an Asian perspective; non-human animals and the Swadhyaya; and human action, karmic retribution, and the possibilities for Hindu animal ethics. Annotation ©2014 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com) To date, philosophical discussions of animal ethics and Critical Animal Studies have been dominated by Western perspectives and Western thinkers. This book makes a novel contribution to animal ethics in showing the range and richness of ideas offered to these fields by diverse Asian traditions.Asian Perspectives on Animal Ethics is the first of its kind to include the intersection of Asian and European traditions with respect to human and nonhuman relations. Presenting a series of studies focusing on specific Asian traditions, as well as studies that put those traditions in dialogue with Western thinkers, this book looks at Asian philosophical doctrines concerning compassion and nonviolence as these apply to nonhuman animals, as well as the moral rights and status of nonhuman animals in Asian traditions. Using Asian perspectives to explore ontological, ethical and political questions, contributors analyze humanism and post-humanism in Asian and comparative traditions and offer insight into the special ethical relations between humans and other particular species of animals. This book will be of interest to students and scholars of Asian religion and philosophy, as well as to those interested in animal ethics and Critical Animal Studies.