This essay explores how the principles of ahimsa and reverence for life provide a foundation for animal welfare in the thought of Mohandas Gandhi and Albert Schweitzer, respectively. This exploration unfolds through a consideration of the contextual background of both thinkers, the scope of life to which they apply their respective principles, and both the ethical ramifications and limitations of this application. Within this common framework, the author delineates the striking commonalities and the significant disparities between Gandhi and Schweitzer. This (...) comparison opens a common space within which ecologically-minded Hindus and Christians can dialogue, augmenting each other's positions by drawing on respected thinkers in their traditions. It also provides an opportunity, within the tensions highlighted at the intersection of Gandhi and Schweitzer's thought, to further construct a foundation for animal welfare in contemporary discussions. (shrink)

In recent decades, philosophers and theologians have become increasingly aware of the extent of animal pain and suffering, both past and present, and of the challenge this poses to God’s goodness and justice. As a result, a great deal of effort has been devoted to the discussion and development of animal theodicies, that is, theodicies that aim to offer morally sufficient reasons for animal pain and suffering that are in fact God’s reasons. In this paper, I ask whether there is (...) a need to go even further than this, by considering whether effort should be made to extend theodicy to include plants as well. Drawing upon ideas found in some recent animal theodicies as well as in the work of some environmental ethicists, I offer three arguments for supposing that plants should indeed fall within the purview of theodicy: the argument from non-flourishing as evil, the argument from moral considerability, and the argument from intrinsic value. I also consider a possible objection to each of these arguments. Having outlined and defended the aforementioned arguments for broadening theodicy to include plants as well as humans and animals, I conclude by considering what a plant theodicy might look like. (shrink)

The COVID-19 global health crisis has affected numerous lives, jobs, and properties. The virus is infectious and deadly, and the most vulnerable are the poor and the elderly. Due to its contagious nature, businesses were forced to shut down causing tremendous damage to many workers. The municipality of Burauen in Leyte as well as its neighboring towns are not exempt from the virus wrath. People perished and many lost their livelihood, disabling them if not limiting their purchasing capacity for food (...) and sustenance. The Eastern Visayas State University Burauen Campus is primarily an agricultural school. With the existence and persistence of COVID-19, such campus rose to the challenge by elevating its food production with the hope of providing food security not only in the town where it is located but also to neighboring municipalities. This paper will delve into the problems and challenges the school faced, and likewise its methods and strategies to hurdle the difficulties it handled to help provide cheap but healthy agricultural products for the people. (shrink)