I took it that the point by Jesse was about how one should frame these issues, not that one should assume a high parity of value between human and nonhuman animals or whatever. The idea is only that these value judgements are properly subject rational argument and should be framed as if they are.
An aside: meta-ethics entered the discussion a unhelpfully here and below. It can be true that one ought to value future generations/nonhuman animals a certain way on a number of anti-realist views (subjectivism, versions of non-cognitivism). Further, it's reasona... (read more)
People can discuss the reasons that they have certain moral or aesthetic preferences. They may even change their mind as a result of these discussions. But there's nothing irrational about holding a certain set of preferences, so I object to EAs saying that particular preferences are right or wrong, especially if there's significant disagreement.
I took it that the point by Jesse was about how one should frame these issues, not that one should assume a high parity of value between human and nonhuman animals or whatever. The idea is only that these value judgements are properly subject rational argument and should be framed as if they are.
An aside: meta-ethics entered the discussion a unhelpfully here and below. It can be true that one ought to value future generations/nonhuman animals a certain way on a number of anti-realist views (subjectivism, versions of non-cognitivism). Further, it's reasona... (read more)