Helmut F. Kaplan

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Helmut Friedrich Kaplan (born October 13, 1952 in Salzburg ) is an Austrian author who mainly deals with animal rights and ethics .

Helmut F. Kaplan at the anti-hunting demonstration in Schliersee 2006

Life

After completing school, he began studying psychology at the University of Salzburg , which he completed with a doctorate in 1982. He finished his final philosophy degree with a master's thesis on Peter Singer . He implemented both works in book publications, which found widespread use, particularly in the animal rights scene. In addition to his articles, lectures and book publications, he is also regularly present on talk shows and radio broadcasts in the media.

Kaplan is divorced and has two children. His daughter Astrid is now also active in the animal rights scene and received her doctorate in 2003 with a thesis on the psychological connection between violence against animals and violence against people.

Use for animal rights, positioning

He first appeared as an author in the mid-1980s. Kaplan's topics are essentially the philosophy and psychology of the human-animal relationship, vegetarianism and meat-eating. According to his own statements, he was mainly influenced by Peter Singer and Arthur Schopenhauer's animal ethics .

Kaplan has been an advisor or employee of several non-governmental organizations , such as Animal Peace and PETA , and has appeared on various television programs. In the 1990s he was temporarily president of the Austrian Vegetarian Society .

Kaplan's book Leichenschmaus - Ethical Reasons for a Vegetarian Diet , published in 1993, was widely used in the German-speaking world and has been translated into other languages. In 2011 an updated new edition was published, which tries to convey “the force of the arguments in favor of the liberation of animals” (preface) to a younger generation.

In view of the fact that, despite the central importance of the concept of animal rights within the framework of animal ethics, there is still no agreement on what should be meaningfully understood by animal rights, Kaplan developed and propagated the following "understandable" concepts based on the critical analysis of existing animal rights concepts in 2017 and practicable "animal rights concept:" Animals have the right that their interests are taken into account in the same way as comparable human interests. "In 2018 he can be seen in the animal rights film Citizen Animal - A Small Family's Quest for Animal Rights .

In 2019, Kaplan presented the study "Human and Animal Rights: Solidarity with those capable of suffering". In it he advocates the thesis that whoever advocates human rights must consequently also advocate animal rights. The question of the basic connection between animal rights and human rights has arisen since the beginning of the animal rights movement, but has so far been little studied philosophically.

Animal ethics

With reference to Peter Singer and Tom Regan, Kaplan wants to usher in a “third stage of animal ethics” and also to establish a “simple ethics” in general. By this he means the attitude that complex moral considerations about animals are just as unnecessary as complex moral considerations about humans. Just as people should not be discriminated against because of their skin color or gender, so should animals be discriminated against because of their species . In his book “I don't eat my friends or why our treatment of animals is wrong” he continues the project “Simple Ethics” by explaining central terms and concepts of the animal rights philosophy in a generally understandable way. For Kaplan, the animal rights movement is the continuation of other liberation movements such as the liberation of slaves or the emancipation of women.

Kaplan rejects classic animal welfare or nature conservation that includes animal use. Kaplan accuses animal rights activists, on a non-animal rights basis, of "giving back that good conscience to meat eaters that they had before the animal rights movement began" and of illegally marketing this under the label of "animal rights" - for example with regard to Michael Aufhauser . His minimum requirement is to refrain from eating meat and restrict the consumption of other animal products. At the same time, everything should be done to develop and promote vegan products.

When his article became known, Do animal rights activists have to be vegans? Kaplan's credibility was damaged by some of his followers, who mostly considered him a strict vegan. Kaplan was accused of being inconsistent because he occasionally ate cheese , was dependent on (orthopedic) leather shoes due to illness and lack of supply, and he only advertised vegetarianism in his books. Kaplan takes a pragmatic position, since almost no one becomes vegan without the intermediate step of vegetarianism, which has been sharply criticized by radical representatives of veganism such as Achim Stößer .

He affirmed and clarified his position in relation to the “Spiegel”: “I consider the moral condemnation of vegetarianism to be counterproductive. This hardly makes anyone a vegan, but prevents many vegetarians. ”The goal, however, must be a vegan society“ in which people no longer live at the expense of animals ”.

Kaplan's thesis that the vegetarianism discussion triggered by the books “Eating Animals” ( Jonathan Safran Foer ) and “Decently Eating” ( Karen Duve ) was “a stroke of luck” for the meat industry caused displeasure and incomprehension . The demand made there to eat less meat instead of no meat has, according to Kaplan, on the one hand no “moral force” - just as the demand to torture less instead of not to torture has no moral force. In addition, the motto “Less meat!” Is an “ideal hook” for catchphrases that even improve the meat image (“eat more consciously”, “organic meat” etc.). The result is that ultimately not less, but more meat is consumed.

Kaplan sees the animal rights movement at a crossroads: “Either the animal rights movement, as it began in the last quarter of the previous century, can be linked, or animal exploitation continues… forever.” In the book Animal Rights: Fashion Trend or Moral Progress? he contrasts the factors that speak against the realization of animal rights with those that speak for the realization of animal rights.

Holocaust comparison and allegations of glorification of violence

Kaplan was accused on the side of Henryk M. Broder of comparing animal husbandry and the Holocaust with the latter in an inhuman way. By PETA withdrawn after protests campaign "Holocaust on your plate" advocated Kaplan continued. Kaplan's standing for the animal rights activities of the Universal Life denomination , of which Kaplan is not a member, has also been criticized.

Several controversial statements by Kaplan on the use of violence in the animal rights movement were rated by Michael Miersch , among others, as an inspiration for acts of violence and insufficient distance from serious crimes.

Kaplan is criticized by Emil Franzinelli for giving an interview to the national revolutionary cross-front magazine “Der Fahnträger” with the title “The Holocaust comparison is becoming increasingly important”.

Memberships

Helmut F. Kaplan was listed on the scientific advisory board of the "Wissensmanufaktur" together with people such as Karl Albrecht Schachtschneider , Wolfgang Berger , Eberhard Hamer and Eva Herman , the main operators of which were Andreas Popp, Rico Albrecht and, until 2017, Michael Vogt , many of them as New Right and Querfront assign the interpreted political spectrum. Kaplan is no longer listed on the current website (2019) of the “Wissensmanufaktur”.

bibliography

  • Is Psychoanalysis Value Free? Hans Huber Verlag, Bern 1982, ISBN 3-456-81122-5 .
  • Philosophy of vegetarianism. Peter Lang, Frankfurt 1988.
  • Why Vegetarians ?: Foundations of a Universal Ethics . Peter Lang GmbH, Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaft, 1989, ISBN 978-3-631-41604-4 .
  • Are we cannibals? - Eating meat in the light of the principle of equality. Frankfurt 1991, ISBN 3-631-43628-9 .
  • Why I am a vegetarian - celebrities tell . Rowohlt, Reinbek 1995, ISBN 3-499-19675-1 .
  • Animals have rights - arguments and quotations from A to Z . Harald Fischer Verlag, Erlangen 1998 (2nd edition 2002), ISBN 3-89131-118-4 .
  • Animal Rights - The Philosophy of a Liberation Movement . Echo, Göttingen 2000, ISBN 3-926914-35-1 .
  • Why ethics? Asku-Presse, 2001, ISBN 3-930994-12-7 .
  • The ethical world formula - a moral for humans and animals . Vegi-Verlag, Neukirch-Egnach 2003, ISBN 3-909067-04-2 .
  • Shitai no bansan . Doujidaisya, Tokyo 2005, ISBN 4-88683-544-9 .
  • Man's betrayal of animals . Vegi-Verlag, Neukirch-Egnach 2006, ISBN 3-909067-06-9 .
  • Joy, beautiful spark of gods - happiness between pain and death , 2007, ISBN 978-3-8334-9705-6 .
  • Helmut F. Kaplan. "Animal Liberation - Criminal Acts or Consistent Ethics?" Interdisciplinary working group on animal ethics (editor). Animal Rights - An Interdisciplinary Challenge . Erlangen 2007. ISBN 978-3-89131-417-3 .
  • Life, love, suffering . Books on Demand, Norderstedt 2008, ISBN 978-3-8370-1621-5 .
  • Fondements éthiques for une alimentacion végétarienne . L'Harmattan, Paris 2008, ISBN 978-2-296-05826-2 .
  • I don't eat my friends or why our dealings with animals are wrong . trafo Verlagsgruppe, Berlin 2009, ISBN 978-3-89626-941-6 .
  • Funeral Feast - Ethical Reasons for a Vegetarian Diet . Books on Demand, Norderstedt 2011 (fourth, updated new edition; first edition 1993), ISBN 978-3-8448-7264-4 .
  • Digital journey to hell: On the disaster potential of virtual communication . Books on Demand, Norderstedt 2012, ISBN 978-3-8448-1881-9 .
  • Animal rights: fashion trend or moral advancement? . Books on Demand, Norderstedt 2012, ISBN 978-3-8482-2309-1 .
  • Schopenhauer's poodle: why our love objects are interchangeable . Books on Demand, Norderstedt 2013, ISBN 978-3-8482-5841-3 .
  • Vegan shouldn't be a religion: for realistic ethics . Books on Demand, Norderstedt 2013, ISBN 978-3-7322-8760-4 .
  • Animal ethics: 10 reasons to treat animals differently . Books on Demand, Norderstedt 2014, ISBN 978-3-7357-7952-6 .
  • Animal rights: Against speciesism. Books on Demand, Norderstedt 2016, ISBN 3-7412-2225-9 .
  • Animal Rights - The End of an Illusion? Norderstedt: Books on Demand, 2017. ISBN 978-3746014364 .
  • Human and animal rights: solidarity with those capable of suffering. Norderstedt: Books on Demand, 2019. ISBN 978-3750430136

Web links

Wikiquote: Helmut Kaplan  - Quotes

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Animal rights Kaplan - Helmut F. Kaplan fights for the rights of animals. In: tierrechte-kaplan.de. Retrieved April 24, 2019 .
  2. ↑ Helmut F. Kaplan: What are animal rights? For the necessary further development of the concept of animal rights . In: TIERethik, journal on human-animal relationships. tape 15 , no. 2 , 2017, p. 41-55 .
  3. ↑ Speakers - Citizen Animal. In: citizenanimal.de. Retrieved April 24, 2019 .
  4. ↑ Helmut F. Kaplan: We do not need a new morality - animal rights Kaplan. In: tierrechte-kaplan.de. March 27, 2019, accessed April 24, 2019 .
  5. ↑ Helmut F. Kaplan: Does "animal diplomat" Aufhauser harm the animals? In: www.tierrechte-kaplan.org. Archived from the original on March 4, 2014 ; accessed on April 24, 2019 .
  6. ↑ Helmut F. Kaplan: The vegetarian-vegan manifesto. In: www.tierrechte-kaplan.org. Archived from the original on March 4, 2014 ; accessed on April 24, 2019 .
  7. ↑ Helmut F. Kaplan: Do animal rights activists have to be vegans? In: www.tierrechte-kaplan.org. Archived from the original on March 4, 2014 ; accessed on April 24, 2019 .
  8. ↑ detailed footnote p. 79 in An Introduction to Youth Cultures: Veganism and Tattoos , by Wilfried Breyvogel, Verlag VS Verlag, 2005, ISBN 3-8100-3540-8
  9. ↑ Helmut F. Kaplan: Vegetarian or vegan? Necessary remarks on a redundant debate. In: www.tierrechte-kaplan.org. Archived from the original on March 4, 2014 ; accessed on April 24, 2019 .
  10. ↑ Achim Stößer: Kaplan's anti-vegan propaganda. Necessary remarks on a harmful debate. In: antispe.de. July 2002, accessed April 24, 2019 .
  11. ↑ “The Interest of Pigs” - DER SPIEGEL 3/2011. In: spiegel.de. Retrieved April 24, 2019 .
  12. ↑ Helmut F. Kaplan: Vegetarianism debate promotes meat consumption - Fellbeisser animal rights authors. In: fellbeisser.net. July 29, 2011, accessed April 24, 2019 .
  13. ↑ Helmut F. Kaplan: Animal Rights: Fashion Trend or Moral Progress? Books on Demand, Norderstedt 2012, ISBN 978-3-8482-2309-1 , pp. 30 .
  14. ^ A b Henryk M. Broder: Do you know Kaplan? In: www.henryk-broder.de. June 5, 2005; Archived from the original on January 31, 2011 ; accessed on April 24, 2019 .
  15. ↑ Helmut F. Kaplan: Truth-despising! The criticism of Peta's Holocaust comparison is dangerous nonsense. In: www.tierrechte-kaplan.org. Archived from the original on December 24, 2013 ; accessed on April 24, 2019 .
  16. ↑ Wolfgang Rösemann: The political murder - the assassination attempt on Pim Fortyn. (PDF; 1.3 MB) In: The criminal police. Quarterly magazine of the Police Union. 1/2004. March 2004, p. 6 , accessed April 24, 2019 .
  17. ^ Mathias Brodkorb: Nobody loves them: About the "standard bearer" and right-wing extremists from the left. In: endstation-rechts.de. May 29, 2009. Retrieved April 24, 2019 .
  18. ↑ Helmut F. Kaplan: "Holocaust comparison is becoming more and more important" - Fellbeisser animal rights authors. In: fellbeisser.net. March 9, 2010, accessed April 24, 2019 .
  19. ↑ Emil Franzinelli: animal liberation 68 - ANIMAL LIBERATION. Editorial. In: tierbefreiung.de. September 2010, accessed April 24, 2019 .
  20. ^ Knowledge Manufactory - Institute for Economic Research and Social Policy - People. In: www.wissensmanufaktur.net. Archived from the original on February 9, 2014 ; accessed on April 24, 2019 .
  21. ^ Frida Thurm: Protests: The very own world of the Monday demonstrators. In: zeit.de. April 22, 2014, accessed April 24, 2019 .
  22. ↑ Danijel Majic: Conspiracy Theories: Meeting Place of the Anti-Enlightenment. In: www.fr.de. September 8, 2014, archived from the original on June 30, 2018 ; accessed on April 24, 2019 .
  23. ↑ Wissensmanufaktur: About us / Scientific Advisory Board. Retrieved April 24, 2019
personal data
SURNAME Kaplan, Helmut F.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Kaplan, Helmut Friedrich (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian animal rights activist and publicist
DATE OF BIRTH October 13, 1952
PLACE OF BIRTH Salzburg