[Man and his fellow-creatures under ethical aspects]

Area of Science:

• Ethics
• Bioethics
• Animal Welfare

Context:

• The field of animal ethics is experiencing a decline in published literature and discussion.
• Bioethics is increasingly focusing on human-centric issues and borderline cases.
• Historical context: 1970s shock from animal cruelty reports evolved into ethical inquiries.

Purpose:

• To analyze the shift in focus within ethical discourse from animal-related issues to human problems.
• To examine the changing landscape of animal protection literature and its categorization.
• To highlight the transition from criticism of animal cruelty to broader ethical considerations.

Summary:

• Literary reports indicate a reduction in animal ethics publications, with discussions on animal moral status and protection becoming less frequent.
• The focus has shifted from 'who is guilty' to 'what are the underlying reasons' for animal mistreatment.
• Animal protection literature is consolidating into fewer categories: Husbandry, Use and Abuse, Animal Protection Law, and Animal Ethics, with a growing emphasis on morals over theoretical ethics.

Impact:

• The decline in animal ethics literature signifies a broader societal shift in ethical priorities.
• The consolidation of literature poses challenges for comprehensive research and understanding.
• There is a need to preserve the focus on action-guiding morals in the man-animal relationship amidst theoretical ethics.