“We often act as if animals don't matter. Unfortunately, we have limited tools to consider animals' welfare. I want to change that,” says Aksel Braanen Sterri.
The project “Valuing Animals” has secured four years of funding from the Research Council of Norway and aims to enhance the ways in which we value animals, both economically and ethically. Sterri maintains that animals have intrinsic value; that animal welfare has value beyond whatever utility they might have for us humans.
For Sterri, receiving funding for the project has been crucial. As head of research at the think tank Langsikt, much of his time is spent participating in public debate and political advocacy.
“This grant is essential for me to have the time and resources to carry out this ambitious research project. I'm very grateful for the opportunity to delve into this important and exciting topic over an extended period, and especially to be back at the University of Oslo,” says Sterri.
The project will be conducted at the Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Arts and Ideas.
“An excellent example”
Together with an interdisciplinary team of experts in economics, medicine, and philosophy, Sterri will research how we can better consider animals' interests in decision-making processes.
The goal is to expand existing decision-making tools, such as those used in the transportation and healthcare sectors, to include animal welfare.
Another objective is therefore to clarify and discuss the many value choices that must be made when we try to put a price on animals.
Dean of research, Mathilde Skoie, considers this grant to be highly significant:
“First and foremost, I want to congratulate Aksel Braanen Sterri. It's exciting to see how this project combines humanities, economics, and medicine to create new insights and promote innovation across disciplines.”
She believes that the research is an excellent example of how the humanities can provide insight into complex questions of value and be a driving force for societal change.
“And it's very nice that Aksel is now returning to the Faculty of Humanities,” Skoie adds.