Should we treat non-human animals well because they have rights, interests, neither, or both?

Introduction

The core of this question lies in the relationship between humans and non-human animals. On the surface, this question explores whether non-human animals have rights or interests in deciding whether we should treat them well, implying a causality between the two. However, rights and interests only function with societal acknowledgement, and so this question revolves around how human beings see non-human animals as an Other. Rights- and interest-based positions, and their opposite, anthropocentric argument, fail to maintain both theoretical and practical consistency, as they overestimate human knowledge on non-human animals. Thus, this essay will acknowledge the finitude of human capabilities and argue that treating non-human animals well is a demonstration of human beings ’ humility and a demand out of non-human animals’ being.