[Man and his fellow-creatures under ethical aspects]

Area of Science:

• Ethics in Animal Welfare
• Environmental Ethics
• Bioethics

Background:

• ALTEX journal has fostered ethical dialogue since 1995, integrating arts and scientific perspectives.
• A special focus on "ethics" in quarterly issues deepens the exploration of topical texts and ethical considerations.
• Cooperation with archives for ethics in animal, nature, and environmental protection enhances the project's efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report on the development of ethical thought concerning human-animal relationships as reflected in literature.
• To provide a platform for German scientific writing while incorporating Anglo-Saxon developments.
• To facilitate access to requested topics within ethical discourse.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of literary works to understand ethical perspectives on the human-animal environment relationship.
• Thematic focus on ethical issues in scientific publications.
• Integration of topical texts and case studies from various sources.

Main Results:

• Ethical themes predominate, with a focus on establishing criteria for animal moral consideration.
• Restrictive models emerge, narrowing the scope of animals receiving ethical attention and prioritizing human interests.
• The journal is limiting its scope, starting with biotechnology, due to increasing specialization and unmanageable complexity.

Conclusions:

• The current trend in ethical discourse narrows animal moral consideration and prioritizes human interests.
• The journal's editorial strategy is adapting to manage the complexity of specialized scientific and ethical topics.
• Continued focus on ethical reflection in literature is crucial for understanding evolving human-animal relationships.