Reflect on the ideas discussed in this readings and lecture slides with particular attention to the ethical implications of the Cartesian perspective

• Approximately 500 words • Double spaced • Please convert to PDF before uploading to Moodle • Please also bring hardcopy to class Please reflect on the ideas discussed thus far (both discussed in class and in the readings) with particular attention to the ethical implications of the Cartesian perspective. Here are some questions to seed your thinking. You don’t have to answer all of these questions, or even any of them if there is something else related to the reading that you wish to discuss. They are only intended to assist you if you are unsure of what to write about. • Why does the Cartesian conception of consciousness lead to the view that animals are not conscious, and indeed from Descartes perspective, are “mere machines.” • In what sense are humans also machines? • Crist talks about the most pernicious thing that Descartes did was to introduce doubt about animal consciousness. Why does she think this? Do you agree with her that this is the most pernicious thing Descartes did? – • Kant does not talk about animals as machines, but while he believes we should be kind to them, it is for our own sake rather than for theirs. He considers them to be means rather than ends in themselves and thus we may use them for our purposes whereas we (that is, moral agents/rational beings) should not use other rational beings (other “persons”) solely as means rather than as ends in themselves. What are the implications of Kant’s view? Would concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO’s) be morally permissible under Kant’s view? Why or why not? • Why is the mind-body problem relevant to considering consciousness? • What are the implications of behaviorism for thinking about consciousness?