Research On Inherent Value Of Tom Regan

Tom Regan advocates animals have the same basic moral rights as humanity, which causes the great discussion of animal rights. It is the main school of Non-anthropocentrism. Non-anthropocentric attempt to regulate the relationship between man and nature with a new ethical principle, they take the "intrinsic value" as the core conception, which has the property of purpose, objectivity and subjectivity. But on the applying scope of intrinsic value, they have different opinions. Some of them think the scope should be subjects-of-a-life, others argue with all of the lifes or all of the ecosystems.The notion of "inherent value", raised by Regan, is an important aspect of the intrinsic value. The inherent value emphasizes the purpose of the intrinsic value. The process of argumentation including three steps:the discussion of the importance of the right, the assumption of the inherent value, the seeking of the subject-of-a-life criterion. It not only promotes the development of the ecological philosophy and ethics, but also has a tremendous impact on the real life.The inherent value plays an important role in the connection of subject-of-a-life and its rights, but it does not work very well. Firstly, the definition of the inherent value is not very clear. The interpretations given by Lewis and Taylor are different and even opposite. Secondly, Regan takes the experience of individuals as the standard of owing inherent value. It not only makes the mistake that deduce the value from the fact, but also results in the contradiction in the argumentation. Thirdly, the nation of rights is formed in the social practice of humanity, but not a derivation from the inherent. Regan ignores the social property of the notion of right, value and ethics. Even if that human has the obligation to protect the animals, it is not a necessary derivation that animals have the moral rights. We have to return the rights and the responsibility to people, take the benefits for oneself and others as the most important moral principle, stick to the sustainable development, and realize the harmonious development between man and nature.