Richard Allan Watson (23 February 1931 – 18 September 2019) was an American philosopher, speleologist and author.
[2] Watson taught philosophy at Washington University in St. Louis for forty years.
[5] Watson earned a degree in geology specializing in "paleoclimatology of 10,000 years ago."
"[6] Watson authored the article Self-consciousness and the Rights of Nonhuman Animals and Nature, which argued that most animals do not have rights such as the rights for freedom or from unnecessary suffering because they are not moral agents, do not possess self-consciousness, free will, or have the capability for understanding moral principles or the physical capability to act according to given principles of duty.
[8] Richard A. Watson's publications include the following books and articles: