The Philosophical Research On The Rising Of Animal Welfare Science

The formation of animal welfare science has its special historical context,and its process of development was also different from the traditional path of science.Traditional science is curiosity-driven,and its starting point is to help us understand the world around us.But now,animal welfare science is to answer some important social problems,to guide the policy and legislation.This kind of science is called "mandated science",and animal welfare is a typical "mandated science".Animal welfare science is the science of "concept first",the basis of the concept of animal welfare is the most important background for the science.For a long time,people have accustomed to use animals for their own purpose.Especially since the birth of modern science,the dualism of cognitive way and completely"disenchantmet" rationalist pursuit pushed the anthropocentrism onto the peak of history.In this context,Descartes put forward the theory of "animal machines",and it helped people find excuses for cruelty to animals.However,throughout every period in history,there are thoughts for protecting animals.For instance,the argument for vegetarianism in ancient Greece,the different understanding on the relationship between human and animals in Christianity in Medieval and the campaign against cruelty to animals.All of the movements prove that human ethical reflection on the animal problem.The people formed the concept of animal welfare in this reflection,and formulated the animal welfare legislation to prevent cruelty to animals.Martin Act in 1822 passed by the British parliament is recognized as the first animal welfare law,and it’s an important symbol of protecting animal welfare in the form of law.But there are some problems when the animal welfare sprang up in early time.The appearance of animal welfare science was order to meet the development of the science and at the same time didn’t go against human’s care for animals.So,animal welfare is a kind of compromise science.It should concentrate social requirement.Its research content and application of the related scientific knowledge,should obey to the guidance of social ethics.Animal welfare science system contains very complex content,and all of them surround the purpose that animals should own more reasonable welfare.Animal welfare science gives us inspiration about the relationship between science and ethics.The science and ethic go through form the original mutual exclusion to fuse and mandate to each other.The development of science also needs to make a commitment to ethics.From the perspective of the features of science,animal welfare is a blend of"seeking truth",pursuit for "profit" and "goodness".The animal welfare science becomes a world trend gradually,but there is little research on the issue in China.For such reason,the purpose of this research is to help people understand the animal welfare science in the world,and combed the experience for the development of China’s animal welfare.