ABSTRACT
Th e animals of the world exist for their own reasons. Th ey were not made for humans any more than black people were made for whites or women for men. (Alice Walker, cited in Spiegel, 1996, p. 14)
Th rough various cultural, religious, and philosophical traditions, most educational institutions teach the position that human beings are the highest, most advanced species on earth. Depending upon the particular tradition, the earth and other species are commonly viewed as existing for human use, control, domination, or “stewardship.” Even though people are aware that humans are biologically animals too, non-human animals are viewed as “other” in the most profound sense. Th is chapter will examine the consequences of this anthropocentric (human centered) education on the well-being of humans and animals for justice, peace, and ecological survival.
