The restriction of moral status to sentient organisms

In this chapter we turn to consider the first substantive issue that the case for ecological justice has to address, which concerns whether or not the granting of moral status to non-human organisms should be restricted only to that subsection of them which possess sentience. Ironically, some of the most persuasive philosophers who offer arguments for granting moral considerability to sentient non-humans are also among the most resolute in defending the view that sentience marks the limit of moral considerability. Two such authors are David DeGrazia and Peter Singer.