Oral history interview with Tom Regan [electronic resource], 2001.

Biographical Note

Tom Regan (1938-) was a professor of philosophy who wrote extensively on animal rights and ethics. Regan received his PhD from the University of Virginia in 1966. He taught philosophy at North Carolina State University from 1967 until his retirement in 2001, thereafter becoming professor emeritus. In 1983, his influential book The Case for Animal Rights was published. Other books that he has published on the subject of animal rights include: All That Dwell Therein: Essays on Animal Rights and Environmental Ethics (1982); Animal Sacrifice: Religious Perspectives on the Use of Animals in Science (1986); The Struggle for Animal Rights (1987); The Thee Generation: Reflections on the Coming Revolution (1991; Defending Animal Rights (2001); Defending Animal Rights (2003); and The Animal Rights Debate (2001), with Carl Cohen. He has also written extensively on the philosopher G.E. Moore and was co-founder and has served as president of the Moore Society. He and his wife Nacy Tirk co-founded the Culture and Animals Foundation.

Scope and Contents

In this two session interview, Regan discusses a range of topics related to animal rights and ethics. The interview covers his childhood, college education, anti-war activism, the influence of Gandhi, and early writings on philosophy and animal rights. He speaks about meeting Peter Singer and comments on Animal Liberation. He discusses his 1983 book The Case for Animal Rights at length, including its writing and reactions from the public. He analyzes the activities of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). He also speaks about philosophy of liberation, veganism, and interpersonal relationships within the animal rights movement. Regan speaks about the March for Animal Rights in 1990 and memories of the day. He also addresses the founding of the Culture and Animals Foundation in 1985 and the state of the animal rights movement at the time of the interview.

Subjects

• Animal industry--Moral and ethical aspects.
• Animal rights.
• Animal rights activists--Interviews.
• Animal rights movement.
• Hardy, Charles interviewer.
• Interviews.
• Oral histories.
• People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
• Regan, Tom--Interviews.
• Singer, Peter, 1946-
• Veganism--Moral and ethical aspects.

Access Conditions

Copyright by the Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York, 2016.