Save

The Problem with Sandra

Addressing the Unfortunate Consequences of Relational Ontological Personhood

In: Religion and Theology
Author:
Stephen Milford North-West University UK Kidlington, Oxfordshire

Search for other papers by Stephen Milford in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
Download Citation Get Permissions

Access options

Get access to the full article by using one of the access options below.

Institutional Login

Log in with Open Athens, Shibboleth, or your institutional credentials

Login via Institution

Purchase

Buy instant access (PDF download and unlimited online access):

€36.93

Abstract

The orangutan, Sandra, has been legally granted the status of ‘non-human person.’ Although, a great victory for those who promote animal rights, this has raised questions about the contemporary approaches to personhood. Recent relational ontological shifts, evident in both secular and theological anthropology, risks unfortunate consequences. Like a snake eating its own tail, without proper circumspection, relational ontology is in danger of postulating a problematic circularity of persons creating persons out of nothing. This article explores these recent shifts, the possible pitfalls of relational ontology, and proposes certain theological desiderata.

Content Metrics

All Time Past 365 days Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 545 102 6
Full Text Views 96 4 0
PDF Views & Downloads 160 8 0