Professor Peter S. Wenz, PhD, Philosopher, University of Illinois at Springfield, USA Animal Rights in Social Context (Part 1 of 8) 31 May 2006, University of Heidelberg After a brief review of arguments for protecting animals from human exploitation, this lecture emphasizes relationships between appropriate protection and social context. Using the exploitation of animals in medical research as one example, I argue against the common belief that protecting animals detracts from human welfare. Instead, applying a view that I call "environmental synergism", I claim that simultaneous respect for people and animals improves outcomes for both. Exploitation of nature promotes exploitation of people. People therefore benefit from valuing nature, including animal nature, for itself, because this generally reduces human oppression and promotes human flourishing. www.vorlesungen-tierrechte.de http