Evolutional Ethics and Animal Psychology is an 1897 book by American scholar Edward Payson Evans, published by D. Appleton & Company. It explores the ethical implications of evolutionary theory for nonhuman animals, arguing that evolutionary continuity challenges traditional anthropocentrism in moral philosophy. Drawing on historical and scientific sources, Evans critiques prevailing attitudes toward animals and calls for their inclusion within the sphere of moral concern.
Edward Payson Evans (1831–1917) was an American scholar with interests in literature, languages, and moral philosophy. He taught modern languages at the University of Michigan and later lived in Europe, where he contributed to the Allgemeine Zeitung of Munich. His published works covered a range of subjects, including German literature, linguistics, religious symbolism, and ethics.[1]
Evolutional Ethics and Animal Psychology followed his 1894 article "Ethical Relations Between Man and Beast", in which he criticised anthropocentric moral views and argued for broader ethical consideration of animals. In this earlier work, Evans engaged with religious and philosophical doctrines that excluded animals from moral concern, and called for a reassessment based on scientific understandings of animal psychology.[2]
Summary
The ethical corollaries to Darwin's doctrine of the origin of species and to his theory of development through descent under the modifying influences of environment and natural selection have already passed these bounds of beneficence not only by demanding the mitigation of cruelty to slaves, but also by the abolition of slavery, and not only by inculcating the kind treatment of animals by individuals, but also by asserting the principle of animals' rights and the necessity of vindicating them by imposing judicial punishments for their violation.
— Edward Payson Evans, Evolutional Ethics and Animal Psychology, p. 14
Evolutional Ethics and Animal Psychology argues that a thorough understanding of animal psychology is essential for establishing a sound ethical foundation regarding the treatment of animals. Evans begins by tracing the historical development of ethical concepts from the early stages of human civilization. In primitive tribal societies, moral rights and obligations were typically confined to blood relations within the same tribe, while outsiders, including both humans and animals, were often treated as enemies or as beings without rights.
As human societies evolved, so too did their ethical frameworks, gradually expanding to include not only all humans but also animals. Evans critiques the traditional anthropocentric worldview that places humans inherently above all other forms of life, arguing that this perspective is both scientifically outdated and morally inadequate. He draws attention to animals' mental capacities—such as the ability to feel pain, form bonds, and act consciously—and argues that these should inform ethical treatment.
The book also explores the influence of various cultural, religious, and philosophical traditions on the treatment of animals. Evans examines how beliefs about animals in different societies, from ancient to modern times, have shaped laws and customs, often leading to contradictory approaches to animal welfare. For example, while some religious traditions promote compassion toward animals, others justify their exploitation based on the belief that animals lack souls or higher intelligence.
Evans maintains that historical attitudes toward animals reflected human ignorance and self-interest more than ethical reflection. He advocates for an ethical approach that is informed by the latest scientific research on animal behavior and psychology, urging a move away from seeing animals as mere resources or tools for human use. Instead, Evans proposes that animals should be considered as beings with their own intrinsic value, deserving of rights that protect their well-being and dignity.
The book culminates in a call for a revision of existing legal and moral frameworks to better reflect the ethical responsibilities humans have towards animals, grounded in an understanding of their psychological complexity and the evolutionary connections between all forms of life.
Reception
David Irons, writing for The Philosophical Review, described the book as "an interesting, if rather popular and discursive, treatment of one of the applications of the theory of evolution."[3] A review in the Journal of Education described the book as "an interesting and important contribution to the fascinating discussion of the relation of animal species and human races to each other."[4]
Carl Evans Boyd's review in The American Journal of Theology was critical of the book's use of stories about animal intelligence which he considered insufficient as a basis for generalization.[5] Boyd also criticized Evans for a "failure to recognize that if expatriation be a natural right, it is a right only as against the state of origin, and can have no reference to any other state."[5] Edmond Kelly criticized Evans' use of disputed Lamarckian theory in the book.[6]
Legacy
In a revised edition of Animals' Rights: Considered in Relation to Social Progress, published in 1922, Henry Stephens Salt cited Evans' book as an example of how the long-held distinction between human and non-human animal intelligence has been challenged by recent writers. Salt also drew attention to Evans' claim that humans need to move past anthropocentric conceptions that treat humans as fundamentally different and separate to all other sentient beings and that, as a result, no moral obligations are required towards them.[7]
Writing in 1989, R. J. Hoage described the book as, in the 90 years since its publication, remaining unequaled in its scholarship and insight on the topics of evolutionary ethics and the ethical treatment of animals.[8]
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