Abstract
The article is about to challenge Habermas’ practical discourse approach
and to explore its potentials for the justification of animal rights.
Firstly, the classic concepts of agential features are discussed to
examine whether animal agents deserve their rights (quasi sui
juris in terms of H. Jonas) or they should be unconditionally
recognized as continuously present in and endangered by the human and
social world (Sections 1, 2, 3). Secondly, the principle of
universalization of rights employing practical discourse is revised and
extended to create the most favorable communicative-discursive
opportunity for advocating for animal rights and catalyzing an agreement
upon their validity, to adopt them as a justified ‘new social norm’, and
so to overcome the limitations of practical discourse. Subsequently,
Habermas’ view on the rights of animals is discussed (Section 4). The
authors try to contribute to the “therapeutic” discourse recommended
by Habermas when the matter of practical discourse rises controversies.