The New Ethics

J. Howard Moore (1862–1912) was an American zoologist and philosopher. He was an early advocate of animal rights and ethical vegetarianism, and his writings combined evolutionary thought with moral philosophy. He was also associated with the humanitarian reform movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including campaigns concerned with the treatment of both humans and animals.^[1]

The New Ethics was one of several works by Moore on vegetarianism, animal ethics, and evolutionary morality, including Why I Am a Vegetarian (1895), Better-World Philosophy (1899), and The Universal Kinship (1906).^[1]

Moore begins by arguing that new ideas are often attacked and ridiculed before gaining acceptance. He then sets out his account of the New Ethics, arguing that humans are individual sentient beings living among other sentient beings and differing from them in degree rather than in kind. Moore identifies the Golden Rule, which he calls "The Great Law", as applicable to all beings, regardless of species. He presents the New Ethics as a consequence of Darwin's theory of evolution, which, in his view, established the kinship of all beings and undermined the anthropocentric belief that non-human animals exist for human use.

Moore then discusses human attitudes toward other humans and toward other animals. He argues that humans have become masters over the earth without recognizing their responsibilities toward other sentient beings. He criticizes practices including vivisection, hunting, and slaughter for food. Moore also considers what he describes as the most common objection to the New Ethics: that humans must exploit others to satisfy their needs and desires. He rejects this argument as egoistic because it does not consider the perspective of the victims.

Moore argues that non-human animals have contributed to the development of human civilization while being treated as means to human ends. He presents the ideal relationship as one in which humans and other animals work together for mutual benefit. He criticizes the use of animal products, including fur, for clothing, and discusses plant-based alternatives. He predicts a future in which humans no longer clothe themselves in animal-derived materials. He also considers diet, discussing human nutritional requirements and physiology, and concludes that the ideal diet is vegetarian.

Moore criticizes the claim that humans must kill other animals to prevent overpopulation, as well as appeals to survival of the fittest and to nature as objections to the New Ethics. He then sketches the evolutionary development of society, discussing figures such as Copernicus, Galileo, and Darwin as contributors to human progress, and presents arguments for socialism and the women's movement. The book concludes by arguing that the popularity of a proposition has no bearing on its truth, and by imagining a future civilization in which humans live in justice and fellowship with every sentient being.

A review in the socialist magazine The New Age described the book as uneven and overly sentimental, but stated that Moore redeemed himself in the conclusion.^[3] A review in The Westminster Review noted the book's brevity, described its central thesis as "extremist altruism", and stated that it made excellent points.^[4]

In 1931, C. M. Knight wrote positively of the book, stating:^[5]

Some readers may not approve of Mr. Moore's warm enthusiasm, fervent language, and eloquent indictment of the shortcomings of men, and may wish that he had produced a cold scientific work on the subject; but those who have the humane cause at heart will not carp at methods, and will even overlook lapses from good taste and rejoice in all books which stimulate thought and arouse men form apathy, the greatest curse in the world and the worst stumbling-block in the way of all reform.

The first edition was published by Ernest Bell in London in 1907.^[2][a] A revised edition was published by Samuel A. Bloch in Chicago in 1909.^[7]

• Books by J. Howard Moore
• Bibliography of veganism and vegetarianism
• History of animal rights