Steve F. Sapontzis

Steven Frederic Sapontzis^[1] (born February 9, 1945) is an American moral philosopher. He is professor emeritus of philosophy at California State University, East Bay and specializes in animal ethics, environmental ethics and meta-ethics. His best known work is Morals, Reason, and Animals, published in 1987. Sapontzis' philosophy advocates for extending moral personhood and ethical consideration to animals based on their capacity for interests and suffering, challenging anthropocentric norms and speciesism, and instead promoting empathy, vegan activism, and systemic change to reduce animal exploitation.

Sapontzis was born in New York City, the son of Zissis Peter and Lea Marie Vial Sapontzis on February 9, 1945.^[2] He obtained his BA from Rice University in 1967, his MPhil in 1970, and PhD from Yale University in 1971;^[3] his thesis was entitled Merleau-Ponty and Philosophical Methodology.^[4]

Sapontzis joined the philosophy faculty at California State University, East Bay, in 1971, and became professor emeritus in 1999.^[3]

Sapontzis was co-founder, in 1985, of the journal Between the Species: A Journal of Ethics and served as its initial co-editor.^[5] He was a member of the board of the American Philosophical Quarterly (1991–1994), and sat on the animal welfare research committee at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (1986–1990).^[6] Sapontzis was also one of the first members of the board of directors of the Society for the Study of Ethics and Animals.^[2]

Sapontzis has published numerous academic papers^[7] and has authored two books. Morals, Reason, and Animals (1987) examines issues related to speciesism and the moral consideration of nonhuman animals, and has been described by some as a notable and original work of its time.^[8] His second book, Subjective Morals, published in 2011, critically examines the foundations, benefits, and harms of moral values, challenging traditional moral philosophy and proposing ways to balance their positive and negative impacts.^[9] He also edited the volume Food for Thought: The Debate over Eating Meat in 2004.^[10]

In 1983, Sapontzis and his future wife established Hayward Friends of Animals, to create a volunteer initiative supporting their local municipal animal shelter.^[11] He married Jeanne Marie Gocker on December 25, 1992.^[2] They now operate Second Chance, Helping the Pets of People in the Need, an initiative aimed at providing assistance to financially disadvantaged individuals caring for companion animals in California.^[11]

Sapontzis challenges traditional anthropocentric ethics by advocating for the inclusion of animals within a moral framework based on their capacity for interests and suffering. He argues that moral personhood should not be limited to humans but should extend to any being capable of holding interests, a stance that includes many animals. Sapontzis distinguishes between metaphysical personhood, which is tied to being human, and moral personhood, which is based on criteria such as the capacity for rationality, choice, and interests. This distinction enables a broader ethical perspective that moves beyond speciesist boundaries.^[6]

Sapontzis critiques practices such as humane slaughter, asserting that the mass killing of animals for food inherently involves suffering and the loss of potentially fulfilling lives, even if physical pain is minimized. He argues that true humane treatment would require acknowledging animals' interests and refraining from treating them as mere resources. This critique extends to broader societal norms that prioritize human desires over the well-being of animals, highlighting the ethical inconsistencies in current practices.^[6]

For Sapontzis, animal liberation is not just about changing laws but about fundamentally altering human attitudes toward animals. He believes that fostering empathy and moral reflection is key to reducing the exploitation of animals. Vegan activism and education play an essential role in this process, as they raise awareness about the suffering of animals and encourage shifts in behavior. However, he remains realistic about the challenges of achieving systemic change, emphasizing the importance of incremental improvements, such as better welfare standards and reduced meat consumption, to pave the way for broader ethical transformation.^[6]

• Morals, Reason, and Animals. Temple University Press, 1987.
• (ed.) Food for Thought: The Debate over Eating Meat. Prometheus Books, 2004.
• Subjective Morals. University Press of America, 2011.

• —— (1977). "Direct Perception, Some Further Comments". Philosophy and Phenomenological Research. 37 (4): 556–565. doi:10.2307/2106436. ISSN 0031-8205. JSTOR 2106436.
• —— (1978). "A Note on Merleau-Ponty's "Ambiguity"". Philosophy and Phenomenological Research. 38 (4): 538–543. doi:10.2307/2106575. ISSN 0031-8205. JSTOR 2106575.
• —— (1980). "Are Animals Moral Beings?". American Philosophical Quarterly. 17 (1): 45–52. ISSN 0003-0481. JSTOR 20009783.
• —— (1981). "A Critique of Personhood". Ethics. 91 (4): 607–618. doi:10.1086/292273. ISSN 0014-1704. JSTOR 2380296. S2CID 170292757.
• —— (1983). "Moral Value and Reason". The Monist. 66 (1): 146–159. doi:10.5840/monist19836616. ISSN 0026-9662. JSTOR 27902793.
• —— (1984). "Predation". Ethics and Animals. 5 (2): 27–38. doi:10.15368/ea.1984v5n2.1. ISSN 0197-9094.
• —— (1985). "Moral Community and Animal Rights". American Philosophical Quarterly. 22 (3): 251–257. ISSN 0003-0481. JSTOR 20014103.
• —— (1987). "Moral Relativism: A Causal Interpretation and Defense". American Philosophical Quarterly. 24 (4): 329–337. ISSN 0003-0481. JSTOR 20014210.
• —— (1990). "Groundwork for a Subjective Theory of Ethics". American Philosophical Quarterly. 27 (1): 27–38. ISSN 0003-0481. JSTOR 20014309.

• List of animal rights advocates

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