ABSTRACT
In this book, I have done two things. First, I argued that the most common interpretations of the moral status of animals and plants in Hindu texts and traditions – the Instrumentalist Interpretations, the Interconnectedness Interpretations, and the Sameness Interpretations – are implausible. Second, I argued for an alternative interpretation. I argued that the Manusmṛdti, the Anuśāsanaparvan, and the Yogasūtra attribute direct moral standing to animals and plants because they are alive, because they are sentient, and because they possess other relevant attributes and abilities. In conclusion, I want to review the objections that I raised against the Instrumentalist, Interconnectedness, and Sameness Interpretations, and argue – where argument is needed – that my own interpretation avoids these problems.
