Final answer:
Peter Singer uses a utilitarian approach to consider animal rights, wherein all sentient beings' capacity for suffering and happiness are accounted for in moral considerations, challenging anthropocentric views and advocating for the recognition of animal rights by governments.
Step-by-step explanation:
The philosophical approach that Peter Singer uses when considering animal rights is rooted in utilitarianism, a form of consequentialism.
As a utilitarian, Singer evaluates the morality of actions based on their outcomes—in this case, the emphasis is on maximizing happiness or reducing suffering for all sentient beings.
Unlike anthropocentric perspectives, which prioritize human interests, Singer's utilitarianism includes non-human animals in its scope because they are capable of experiencing pleasure and pain.
Singer's stance on animal rights challenges traditional views that assign intrinsic value only to humans and advocates for the recognition of animal rights by governments.
This position stands in contrast to the center left's approach, which some animal rights activists consider narrowly speciesist, thereby prioritizing human well-being over that of other sentient creatures.
Singer's utilitarian framework thus demands that the interests of non-human animals be taken into account when considering moral actions and public policy.