Animalism and Deferentialism

Animalism is the theory that we are animals: in other words, that each of us is numerically identical to an animal. An alternative theory maintains that we are not animals but that each of us is constituted by an animal. Call this alternative theory neo‐ L ockean constitutionalism or L ockeanism for short. S tephan B latti (2012) offers to advance the debate between animalism and L ockeanism by providing a new argument for animalism. In this note, we present our own objection to B latti's argument, and argue that C arl G illett's earlier reply misses the fundamental problem. We also use B latti's argument to illustrate a common methodological error, namely, uncritical deference to best theories from other disciplines.