Singer argues we should offer the basic principle ofequality that we give to members of our own species and offer it to otherspecies also. He claims that both humansand non-humans are capable of suffering and by such have interests. According to him, these interests should betaken into consideration and given treated exactly the same, which is with theaim of not inflicting suffering.
He extends the interpretation of the principleof equality also to race. Many previouspractices in relation to race that were previously, and still are, judgednatural and inevitable by many are more and more today judged as prejudice.Singer declares that equality does not imply sameness. Applying the principle of equality from onegroup to another does not necessarily mean that both groups should be treatedexactly the same, with the same rights. What we need to be worried about, he says, is the equality ofconsideration and the equalconsideration for the different groups human beings that may lead to differenttreatments and different rights. Peoplecome in different forms, shapes, colour, orientation, morals and faith; andthese, he states, makes no human equal to another. However, he states that there are not manydifferences between races as such because these criteria do not determine aperson’s abilities and that the insignificant differences are most likelyenvironmental in origin.
Equality is amoral ideal. The principle of theequality of human beings does not depend on their actual equality but on howthey are treated. To treat all humanbeings, no matter what race, as equal is to give all the same equalconsideration for their interests. If abeing can suffer, matter what race, sex or type of being, we have to take thesuffering into consideration and consider the suffering equally.
Racism violatesthe principle of equality by giving more weight to the interests of members of onerace over another, usually one’s own race. So does speciesism whichviolates the principle of equality by giving more importance to one species,usually our own. With these comparisonsin explanations, this is basically what I understood from Singer’s principle ofequality in relation to racism.
