Philosophisch-ethische Rezensionen
(Erscheinungsdatum der rezensierten Bücher: 20. und 21. Jahrhundert)

Sebo examines in his book what we owe nonhumans and how we should assess our practices now, for we are affecting quadrillion of nonhumans every year. In this respect he deliberates about our strengths (we can improve our social, legal and political systems over time and so give more support to vulnerable nonhuman populations) and our limitations (we will never be able to treat everyone as they deserve). He argues that humanity should expand its moral circle much more because in his mind a vast number of beings might matter, such also insects or AI systems. And we should consider that we are also affecting beings who are far away in space and time. He is of the opinion that we should extent beings at least some moral considerations in case a being has a non-negligible chance of being sentient, agential or otherwise morally significant. In doing so he rejects human exceptionalism. In his mind we should accept a more balanced view about our moral priorities. We should prioritize humans much less, and nonhumans much more than we do and our responsibility to support nonhumans will increase, too.

It strikes me quite interesting how arguments for human exceptionalism can turn against us e.g. in case AI systems will further improve. Sebo reports that philosophers often argue that humans merit priority because of their intrinsic value (humans have stronger and more significant interests than nonhumans) and their relational value (humans have stronger and more significant bonds within their species than beyond). AI systems may pass us in all these points in the future (AI might develop more complex and varied motivations than humans and nonhuman animals, more intense and prolonged experiences) and for us there will be then only the hope that AI will treat us better and with more care than we our lower agents now.

The reader is looking forward to a concentrated book experience. The book is small, the content is focused with also some quite interesting thought experiments and reasonable, understandable argumentations. And the author gives some hints how to improve our moral level. The subject is interesting and of some importance. Good book!

Jürgen Czogalla, 23.02.2025