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Humans, Philosophy, and Animals

When it comes to animals, we humans can be a bit... well... schizophrenic.

Americans lavish billions on the beasts we consider pets. But few of us give much thought to the life of the creature providing us with our next cheeseburger.

A Virginia researcher says it was not always that way.

We take a look at how attitudes toward animals have changed in recent decades, and over the past millennium or two.

Guests:
Cynthia Hurst - Acting Director, Charlottesville Albemarle SPCA.

Athena Kirk, PhD - Researcher of ancient philosophical links to attitudes toward human/animal relationships. Recipient of the 2012 Distinguished New Course award from the Humane Society of the United States.  Mellon Junior Faculty Fellow in the Classics Department at Washington and Lee University.

Tom Graham was Senior Producer and host of WMRA's Virginia Insight from 2006 to 2015.