Fish Feel Pain!

Alexander Schwab grew up in Switzerland and was ­awarded a Masters Degree in philosophy and history at ­Aberdeen University. His main interests are all aspects of fishing, hunting and mushrooming. He now lives in New Zealand and when not mushrooming, fishing or hunting, he is thinking or writing about them.

• Introduction 7Why didn’t I spare you this? 11The Ethics of Angling: Henry Cholmondeley-Pennell (1870) 16Chapter 1. Milestones of FFP-science and debate 27Publish pain or pain will perish 34Believers and sceptics 37The consensus: Fish Feel Pain (FFP) 40A fish called Rudy Rainbow 41My body is my brain? 44We haven’t got the brain for it! 49Beam me up, Scotty 58Chapter 2. Some Philosophical Definitions 61Animal liberation: pain-centred 63Animal rights: rights-centred 66Animal protection and animal welfare 67Paradise now! 72Completely bananas! 74Chapter 3. Breaking Down Barriers Between Humans and Animals 87The trap of personhood 89I am perfectly happy to be an ape 91Animal rights are conservation wrongs 92Aliens on our own planet 96There is no such thing as a cruelty-free lunch 98Moral supremacy 102Look on the bright side 104The sanctimonious side 105The dark side 106Winners and losers 109Out of an abundance of caution 112Chapter 4. Taking Stock After 20 Years 115The manifesto: the emperor’s new clothes 1232 + 2 = 5 126Chapter 5. ‘Wherever The Trout Are, It’s Beautiful.’ 131Truth is old hat? 134Sister act 136Is beauty legal? 137The quest for beauty 141Chapter 6. How Do You Communicate With Fish? 143The lens of beauty: business 147The lens of beauty: joie de vivre 151The lens of beauty: aesthetic experience 152TV and reality 153Nice to have: culture 156Beauty boosters 160Chapter 7. The End is Nigh 167Think globally, act locally? 169What did the fish say when it hit the wall? 172Natural stupidity and artificial intelligence 177You can’t make an omelette … 179Buy your licence and abide by the rules! 181There is only one truth and one law 181Your fishing boat is a battlecruiser 183Chapter 8 Fish Feel Pain? The Scientists’ 10-Point Response 191