El Moro: Literature as a tool in moral consideration towards animals

Abstract

This article addresses emotions as important elements in the life of humans and other animal species, and considers how such emotions can be placed on a similar level to reason when used in the field of ethics. In the following lines we aim to find some moral consideration towards animals from different contributions of ethics, and the role of empathy and compassion as possible links that are established with other animals, different from human beings. Furthermore, the contribution of literary narratives in the possible moral education of readers was investigated, where attention was focused on animal literature. It was explained with an example of animal literature, the novel El Moro, the way in which the moral consideration of some animals as beings with emotions and that deserve to be respected for having principles of sentience can be practiced, which leads to recognize them in the moral spectrum.