Aninal as an alien

Abstract

The aim of the text is to reflect on defining animals as negative opposites of human beings, that contradict humanistic values and ideals. In a posthuman thought Rossi Braidotti proposes zooegalitarism, aiming at providing animals and humans with equal rights. In cultural human tradition, one can find deeply rooted tendency to oppose humans and animals. Looking at this phenomenon from a humanistic point of view, we can notice that proposed by Lévinas cathegory of the Other, has no application here. To contrary: animal is treated as an alien, and all negative qualities of the alien are automatically assigned to animal as well. What purpose this opposition serves? And what happens if this opposition disappears?