Year 9 Philosophy | Melbourne Zoo Excursion

Is safety more important than freedom? Is it fair that animals are treated differently than human beings? Which are more important when assessing ethical actions - intentions or consequences? Is it selfish for humans to conserve animals for scientific purposes? Are zoos morally wrong?

On November 25th, the Year 9 Philosophy class went on an “Ethics Excursion” with Mr. Regalo, Dr. Ramdzan, and Mr. Richardson to Melbourne Zoo. There, we visited the Southern Corroboree Frog and the Orangutans to explore the ethical aspects of conservation and inquire about moral justifications for zoos. Two zoo keepers also invited us to sit and discuss inside an old animal enclosure, which created the perfect atmosphere to reflect on humans’ relationship with animals, and philosophical questions about fairness and ethics.

“Heading on the Melbourne Zoo excursion with my Philosophy class, I had some pretty adamant thoughts on the nature and ethics of zoos. However, once I entered and learnt about all of the amazing endangered species that were kept there, and how Zoos Victoria ran programs to conserve these beautiful animals, I was more inclined to change my mind. We were allowed the opportunity to hear from two wonderful zoo keepers who provided us with further insight during our philosophical inquiry into the morality of zoos. Through this excursion, I have learnt more about the way zoos run, and to be more open in my opinions of them.”

Chami, Year 9 Philosophy