La cuestión de la personalidad legal más allá de la especie humana

Abstract

It is often maintained that (nonhuman) animals cannot be considered persons, so it is not possible to sue on their behalf. This article examines this idea. Firstly, it analyzes the different meanings that the term "person" has in the colloquial, the metaphysical, the moral and the legal realm. It shows that there is no necessary connection between these meanings. Then, the paper breaks down and assesses the different arguments in favor of moral anthropocentrism. It concludes that none of them is successful. Finally, the paper argues that if the category of personhood remains central in the legal realm, but we keep on excluding nonhuman animals from its domain, we will assume a position which will not be morally justified.