Quote

Every sentient being values her/his life even if no one else does. That is what is meant by saying that the lives of all have inherent value.

Gary L. Francione

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Gary L. Francione
Age: 70
Born: 1954
Born: May 24
Philosopher
Professor
University Teacher
New York
United States
Gary Lawrence Francione
Saying
Values
Lives
Else
Doe
Sentient
Even
Inherent
Every
Meant
Life
Value

More quotes by Gary L. Francione

Image
To say that a being who is sentient has no interest in continuing to live is like saying that a being with eyes has no interest in continuing to see. Death—however “humane”—is a harm for humans and nonhumans alike.
Gary L. Francione
Image
We should never present flesh as somehow morally distinguishable from dairy. To the extent it is morally wrong to eat flesh, it is as morally wrong - and possibly more morally wrong - to consume dairy
Gary L. Francione
Image
Veganism is not a sacrifice. It is a joy.
Gary L. Francione
Image
They are nonhuman persons. They are not food. If animals matter morally at all, there is one and only one rational response: go vegan. Everything else is just participation in animal exploitation.
Gary L. Francione
Image
Being vegan is not a matter of lifestyle. It is a matter of fundamental moral obligation. Is being vegan a matter of choice? Only insofar as we are able to choose to ignore our moral obligations not to exploit the vulnerable.
Gary L. Francione
Image
The proposition that humans have mental characteristics wholly absent in non-humans is inconsistent with the theory of evolution.
Gary L. Francione
Image
If an animal has any rights at all, it's got the right not to be eaten.
Gary L. Francione
Image
An aim of an argument should be progress, but progress ultimately means little without victory.
Gary L. Francione
Image
I certainly believe that we have a moral obligation to care for the dogs, cats, and other nonhumans whose existence we have caused or facilitated as part of the institution of 'pet' ownership. But I maintain that we ought to abolish the institution and stop causing or facilitating the existence of more 'companion' animals.
Gary L. Francione
Image
Veganism is about nonviolence: nonviolence to other sentient beings nonviolence to yourself nonviolence to the earth.
Gary L. Francione
Image
Forty-two years after Dr. King was murdered, we are still a nation of inequality. People of color, women, gays, lesbians, and others are still treated as second-class citizens. Yes, things have changed but we have still not achieved equality among all humans. And nonhuman animals continue to be chattel property without any inherent value.
Gary L. Francione
Image
Veganism is not a limitation in any way it's an expansion of your love, your commitment to nonviolence, and your belief in justice for all.
Gary L. Francione
Image
If you claim to 'love' animals but you eat animal products, you need to think critically about how you understand love.
Gary L. Francione
Image
The idea that we have the right to inflict suffering and death on other sentient beings for the trivial reasons of palate pleasure and fashion is, without doubt, one of the most arrogant and morally repugnant notions in the history of human thought.
Gary L. Francione
Image
Humans treat animals as things that exist as means to human ends. That's morally wrong. Sexism promotes the idea that women are things that exist as means to the ends of men. That's morally wrong. We need to stop treating all persons - whether human or nonhuman - as things.
Gary L. Francione
Image
Ethical veganism represents a commitment to nonviolence.
Gary L. Francione
Image
...eating animals involves an intentional decision to participate in the suffering and death of nonhumans where there is no plausible moral justification.
Gary L. Francione
Image
Michael Vick may enjoy watching dogs fight. Someone else may find that repulsive but see nothing wrong with eating an animal who has had a life as full of pain and suffering as the lives of the fighting dogs. It's strange that we regard the latter as morally different from, and superior to, the former.
Gary L. Francione
Image
If we can live and prosper without killing, why would we not do so? I do not see veganism as 'extreme' in any way. I see killing for no reason as extreme in every way.
Gary L. Francione
Image
There is increasing social concern about our use of nonhumans for experiments, food, clothing and entertainment. This concern about animals reflects both our own moral development as a civilization and our recognition that the differences between humans and animals are, for the most part, differences of degree and not of kind.
Gary L. Francione