Library:Odontocetes (Toothed Whales) Cognitive Science and Moral Standing - Are Dolphins Persons (research)
Odontocetes (‘Toothed Whales’): Cognitive Science and Moral Standing – Are Dolphins Persons? is a report authored by Sara G. Pettit and Steven P. McCulloch that discusses the growing evidence of the advanced cognitive capacities of odontocetes or ‘toothed whales’. These animals have complex brain structures and possess rationality, self-awareness, and culture. There is significant controversy about keeping cetaceans in captivity and causing harm to those in the wild. Organizations such as the Non-human Rights Project aim to demonstrate personhood to secure legal standing for cognitively advanced animals, including dolphins and whales, through the courts. Despite increasing public concern about keeping whales and dolphins in captivity, the practice is increasing in certain parts of the world. Human activity causes substantial harm to both free-living and captive cetaceans. Scientific research points to fundamental problems with keeping cetaceans in captivity, as they do not cope well in a captive environment. In the wild, odontocetes face threats from human activity, including inhumane methods of slaughter in live capture and commercial whaling activities.
Key points
Cognitive Science and Moral Standing: Odontocetes, or ‘toothed whales’, have a complex brain structure and possess rationality, self-awareness, sociability and culture. Theories of personhood challenge the notion that humans alone are moral persons. Bottlenose dolphins, orcas, and beluga whales fulfill criteria to be granted at least borderline personhood.
Legal Implications: The legal implications of attributing personhood to dolphins remains uncertain. Recognition of dolphin personhood may lead to fundamental legal rights against capture, captivity, and killing.
Welfare Issues: Odontocetes face welfare issues both in captivity and in the wild. Captivity is problematic due to the impossibility of satisfying their behavioural needs. In the wild, odontocetes face threats from human activity, including inhumane methods of slaughter in live capture and commercial whaling activities.
Conclusions
The paper argues that the doctrine of human exceptionalism, where only humans are considered moral persons with legal standing, is flawed. Posthumanist thinkers such as Peter Singer, David DeGrazia, and Steven Wise have argued that personhood should not be restricted to Homo sapiens. It reviews evidence from the cognitive sciences of morally relevant neurological structures and behaviors of bottlenose dolphins, orcas, and beluga whales. These species have substantial scientific evidence of cognitive capacities and should be granted at least borderline personhood. The paper calls for a paradigm shift towards societal recognition of moral personhood for odontocetes, with associated legal protections. This would lead to the abolition of captivity for dolphins and orcas in entertainment and harmful activity in the oceans such as whaling.