speciesism
Interorganism moral hierarchy
Speciesism is the assumption that humans are inherently superior to other animals, used to justify treating non-human species as less morally significant.
The term, modeled on racism and sexism, emerged from animal rights discourse: Factory farming is speciesism in action.
Critics argue it rationalizes cruelty; defenders question whether cross-species moral equality makes sense.
Capacity for subjective experience
- utilitarianismGreatest-happiness moral theory
- bioethicsMoral philosophy for medicine
- deontologyMorality based on obligations
- welfareComfort and prosperity
compassion · equality · justice · suffering · consciousness
Unfair inclination or prejudice
- bigotryIntolerance toward differing views
- chauvinismMilitant devotion to group
- hierarchyRanked authority structure
- otheringViewing as fundamentally different
in-group · out-group · racism · sexism · ableism · intersectionality · systemic · institutionalized
Belief prioritizing human significance
- vivisectionSurgery on living animals
- exploitationSelfish use of others
- oppressionUnjust exercise of power
- hierarchyRanked authority structure
objectification · commodification · bullfighting · rodeos · whaling · sealing
Complete animal product abstention
- vegetarianismAbstaining from flesh consumption
- sanctuaryProtected sacred space
- advocacyPleading for a cause
- protestPublic expression of disapproval
abolition · PETA · ALF · rescue · intervention · outreach · leafleting · investigation
Range of life forms
- conservationPreventing waste or loss
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
- endangeredAt risk of extinction
- habitatOrganism's natural environment
ecosystem · wildlife · coexistence · rewilding · stewardship · biocentrism · holism
sentience
Capacity for subjective experience
- utilitarianismGreatest-happiness moral theory
- bioethicsMoral philosophy for medicine
- deontologyMorality based on obligations
welfare · compassion · equality · justice · suffering · consciousness
bias
Unfair inclination or prejudice
- bigotryIntolerance toward differing views
- chauvinismMilitant devotion to group
- hierarchyRanked authority structure
othering · in-group · out-group · racism · sexism · ableism · intersectionality · systemic · institutionalized · normalized
anthropocentrism
Belief prioritizing human significance
- vivisectionSurgery on living animals
- exploitationSelfish use of others
- oppressionUnjust exercise of power
hierarchy · objectification · commodification · bullfighting · rodeos · whaling · sealing
veganism
Complete animal product abstention
- vegetarianismAbstaining from flesh consumption
- sanctuaryProtected sacred space
- advocacyPleading for a cause
protest · abolition · PETA · ALF · rescue · intervention · outreach · leafleting · investigation · undercover
biodiversity
Range of life forms
- conservationPreventing waste or loss
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
- endangeredAt risk of extinction
habitat · ecosystem · wildlife · coexistence · rewilding · stewardship · biocentrism · holism
- animal ethicsanimal ethics, animal welfare, animal rights, animal protection, animal liberation
- food ethicsethical eating, veganism, ethical sourcing, vegetarianism, cruelty-free
- anthropocentrismanthropocentrism, human-centered, human exceptionalism
- beliefsbelief, beliefs, creed, creeds, faith
- discriminationracism, systemic discrimination, Jim Crow laws, sexism, racial harassment
- animal activismanimal liberation, demonstration, campaign, rescue, anti-hunting
speciesismanimal liberation
Advocacy ending species exploitation
biocentrism · animal rights · veganism · abolitionism · ahimsa
specific, species, specimen, specificity, subspecies, interspecies, speciation