University wants to give animals and PLANTS the same legal rights as humans in 'multi-species justice' project which critics have slammed as 'utter madness'
- A university's push for 'multispecies justice' has been slammed by some critics
- University of Sydney's idea is part of six-themed 'FutureFix' research program
- Multispecies justice states that legal rights also extends to plants and animals
- The future-facing research projects aim at creating solutions for global issues
A university's push for plants and animals to have legal rights under 'multispecies justice' has been slammed by critics as 'utter madness'.
Researchers from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Sydney revealed the radical idea as part of their six-themed 'FutureFix' research program.
According to the faculty's website, the future-facing research projects are aimed at creating solutions for issues of global importance.
A university's push for plants and animals to have legal rights under 'multispecies justice' has been slammed by critics as 'utter madness' (stock image)
Researchers from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Sydney (pictured) revealed the radical idea as part of their six-themed 'FutureFix' research program
The idea of multispecies justice states that legal rights aren't just for humans but rather it extend to plants and animals equally.
'Justice is typically thought to be the preserve of humans, and advocacy has sought to ensure all humans are subjects of justice,' the faculty website states.
'But harms inflicted on animals and the environment are coming to be understood as injustices.'
In order to answer the question of how justice across the human and natural world would work, the faculty is set to host a series of four symposiums in June.
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Academics from around the globe, including California, Alabama and parts of India, are beleived to be heading Down Under to take part in the four-day conference.
According to schedule, the symposium will consist of a series of formal presentations that promote conversation, reflection and future planning.
Academics have been urged to bring their ideas to the table to help further explore the debate and 'think beyond liberal and individualist conceptions of justice'.
While the faculty itself has admitted multispecies justice is by no means simple, critics have slammed the school, saying academics have lost touch with reality.
Institute of Public Affairs Western Civilisation director Dr Bella d'Abrera said multispecies justice is not a genuine problem faced by Australians
The idea of multispecies justice is that legal rights aren't just for humans but rather they extend to plants and animals equally
Institute of Public Affairs Western Civilisation director Dr Bella d'Abrera told The Daily Telegraph multispecies justice is not a genuine problem faced by Australians.
'This is utter madness … Australian taxpayers need to be made aware that their hard-earned dollars are funding such frivolous and irrelevant research,' Dr d'Abrera said.
The director claimed 'the same people who want to kills cows to stop climate change, now want to give wombats the vote'.
'The fact that they genuinely believe multispecies justice to be a global problem reveals the massive divide between the real world and the academy,' she said.
The news comes after former Education Minister Simon Birmingham intervened after $4.2 million in university grants were found to have been spent on bizarre projects.
