Abstract

The covid-19 pandemic affected nonhuman animals in numerous ways. Lockdowns led to nonhumans reclaiming parks, roads and wild spaces (p. 54), but preventing infections also involved the culling of minks in Denmark (p. 191), as well as numerous other negative impacts on nonhumans. In his book, Jeff Sebo uses the pandemic as a platform from which to consider the questions of why and how animals matter for global catastrophes. To date, philosophers have focused largely on the question of whether (and in what way) nonhuman animals should be included in moral theories. Outside this, discussion of animals takes place at the margins of moral philosophy. Sebo’s book shows us why this is a mistake and why nearly all philosophers, social scientists and policymakers should consider them.