Course Reflection

I would have to say that the readings, writings, and research I conducted this semester developed my appreciation for and understanding of some of the ethical issues and dilemmas regarding human-animal relations. Before taking this course, I would have to admit I was pretty naïve about anything pertaining to animal rights or ethics. I felt that since it did not concern me then I shouldn’t show interest in it. However, several texts this semester have opened my eyes to a new perspective. Most recently, I have read Jonathan Foer’s Eating Animals. I had absolutely no idea the conditions that animals were kept in, nor did I know the harm that such farms did not only to individuals but also to our environment. The book did not convert me to vegetarianism, but I definitely will be more putting more thought into animal meats / products I use in the future. Nick Cooney’s presentation on factory farming also helped to contribute to these new views I now hold.

Another text that has opened my eyes to a new perspective is Ralph Acampora’s “Zoos and Eyes: Contesting Captivity and Seeking Successor Practices”. In this text, Acampora explains his analogy between pornography and zoos by stating that both are in the interest of the viewers and subjects are just over-exposed and marginalized. Profit becomes more important the well-being of the subject. As a child I had visited the zoo once or twice and what I could remember, I loved it. I now realize my childhood innocence had only developed into ignorance of an important subject. After reading this text and also visiting the Philadelphia Zoo, I now comprehend the harsh conditions animals live with while kept in captivity.

Throughout this semester I have acquired new writing skills obtained by reading, writing, and researching in this course. The greatest skill acquired this semester would have to be how to properly find useful academic outside sources. This was obtained by the two classes taken in the library on how to use both academic search premiere and also Google scholar. Also writing these papers have helped to advance my writing skills and also how to correctly use MLA style format in a paper.