"The octopus mind and the argument against farming it" by Jennifer Jacquet, Becca Franks et al.

Home > ASent > 2019 > No. 26

Citation

Jacquet, Jennifer; Franks, Becca; and Godfrey-Smith, Peter (2019) The octopus mind and the argument against farming it. Animal Sentience 26(19)

Author Website

http://jenniferjacquet.com/

https://as.nyu.edu/faculty/becca-franks.html

https://petergodfreysmith.com/

Thread

Jennifer Mather, What is in an octopus's mind?

Abstract

Mather is convincing about octopuses having ‘a controlling mind, motivated to gather information,’ but stops short of asking what having that mind means for octopus moral standing. One consequence of understanding the octopus mind should be a refusal to subject octopuses to mass production. Octopus farming is in an experimental phase and supported by various countries. We argue that it is unethical because of concerns about animal welfare as well as environmental impacts.

Author Biography

Jennifer Jacquet, assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Studies at New York University and part of NYU Animal Studies, works on large-scale environmental problems, including overfishing, climate change, and the Internet wildlife trade. Website

Becca Franks, visiting assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Studies at New York University, studies well-being and motivation, with a focus on aquatic animal welfare. Website

Peter Godfrey-Smith is Professor of History and Philosophy of Science at University of Sydney. His main research interests are philosophy of biology and philosophy of mind. His books include Other Minds: The Octopus, the Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness. Website