The concept of animal welfare: a philosopherâs view

Lennart Nordenfelt

The concept of animal welfare: a philosopherâs view

In: Welfare of production animals: assessment and management of risks

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Lennart Nordenfelt

Lennart Nordenfelt Department of Medical and Health Sciences, LinkÃ¶ping University, 58183 LinkÃ¶ping, Sweden; lennart.nordenfelt@liu.se

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Type:: Chapter

Pages:: 27â44

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.3920/9789086866908_003

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In this chapter the major interpretations of the expression âanimal welfareâ that have been proposed in the contemporary animal science literature are scrutinised, with a particular focus on the following conceptions: (1) freedom to perform natural behaviour, (2) health and natural function, (3) coping with the environment, and (4) positive subjective experiences. It is argued that these conceptions, although basically different, are interrelated both from a logical and empirical point of view. Particularly striking in this context are some causal relationships, such as an animalâs natural behaviour, health and coping which all partly determine its sustainable positive experiences. It is discussed why âpositive subjective experiencesâ are crucial to animal welfare. The two main arguments for this include: (1) the existence of subjective experiences often being cited as supporting evidence that other, associated, factors are components of welfare, and (2) the main ethical motive for enhancing animal welfare, and indeed preventing cruelty to animals, being that welfare relates to animal feelings. It is acknowledged that there is a special reason for giving âfreedom to perform natural behaviourâ a separate place in the set of proposed animal welfare definitions since this conception refers to the dignity of an animal. Thus, one may say that â assuming the same level of positive subjective experience of animals A and B, whilst A has a greater freedom of behaviour than B â animal A has a higher degree of welfare than does animal B. It is argued that animal welfare is an evaluative concept, albeit that it does not necessarily include ethical evaluation, i.e. it should be possible to address welfare without having to adhere to a particular moral attitude. Finally, this author claims that once a level of welfare has been established (by evaluation), a number of purely scientific procedures, for instance measurement and causal analysis, can be performed.

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Welfare of production animals: assessment and management of risks

Series:Â ECVPH Food safety assurance, Volume: 5

E-Book ISBN:: 9789086866908

Publisher:: Wageningen Academic

Print Publication Date:: 30 Oct 2009

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- Life Sciences

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Welfare of production animals: assessment and management of risks

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The concept of animal welfare: a philosopherâs view