Heather Browning
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Research

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My primary research interest is in exploring philosophical issues in the measurement of animal welfare, and how this can apply to an empirically-informed animal ethics.

Future research interests include how to identify indicators of consciousness/sentience, how the evolution and mechanisms of sentience can inform welfare measurement, performing comparisons of sentience/welfare between different species, how to quantify the badness of death for animals and how much suffering is experienced by wild animals.

Publications

   Books  |  Single-author papers  |  Coauthored papers  |  Coauthored commentaries and book reviews  |  Public engagement
Details of all publications can also be found on my Google Scholar profile
Books

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2024). What Are Zoos For? Bristol: Bristol University Press.
https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/trade/what-are-zoos-for

Single-Authored Works

Browning, H. (2026). Mapping profiles of animal affect. Biology and Philosophy. 41(16): 1-23
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10539-026-10019-7 [Download]

Browning, H. (2023). Validating indicators of subjective animal welfare. Philosophy of Science. 90(5): 1255 - 1264
https://doi.org/10.1017/psa.2023.10 [Download preprint]

Browning, H. (2023). Welfare comparisons within and across species. Philosophical Studies. 180: 529-551
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11098-022-01907-1 [Download]

Browning, H. (2023). Improving welfare assessment in aquaculture. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 10: 1060720
https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2023.1060720 [Download]

Browning, H. (2022). Assessing measures of animal welfare. Biology and Philosophy. 37(36): 1-24 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10539-022-09862-1 [Download preprint]

Browning, H. (2022). The measurability of subjective animal welfare. Journal of Consciousness Studies.  29(3-4): 150-179
https://doi.org/10.53765/20512201.29.3.150 [Download]

Browning, H. (2020).  If I Could Talk to the Animals: Measuring Subjective Animal Welfare. PhD Thesis (Australian National University).
https://doi.org/10.25911/5f1572fb1b5be [Download]

Browning, H. (2020). The natural behavior debate: Two conceptions of animal welfare. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science. 23(3): 325-337
https://doi.org/10.1080/10888705.2019.1672552  [Download preprint]

Browning, H. (2019). What is good for an octopus? Animal Sentience. 26(7) 
https://doi.org/10.51291/2377-7478.1476 [Download]

Browning, H. (2019). What should we do about sheep? The role of intelligence in welfare considerations. Animal Sentience. 25(23) 
https://doi.org/10.51291/2377-7478.1460 [Download]

Browning, H. (2018). Won’t somebody please think of the mammoths? De-extinction and animal welfare. Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics. 31(6): 785-803 
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10806-018-9755-2 [Download preprint]

Browning, H. (2018). No room at the zoo: Management euthanasia and animal welfare. Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics. 31(4): 483-498 
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10806-018-9741-8 [Download preprint]

Browning, H. (2018). Book Review: Zoo Ethics. Quarterly Review of Biology. 93(2): 149 
https://doi.org/10.1086/698059 [Download]

Browning, H. (2017). Anecdotes can be evidence too. Animal Sentience. 16(13) 
https://doi.org/10.51291/2377-7478.1246 [Download]

Coauthored Articles and Book Chapters

Veit, W. & Browning, H. (forthcoming). Do animals understand death, and does it matter? In The Palgrave Handbook on the Philosophy of Death.

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (forthcoming). From animal to AI welfare. In Z. Radman (ed.). HumANimal: The “Animal Turn” Meets Artificial Intelligence. Palgrave MacMillan.

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (forthcoming). Does the welfare of wildlife matter? In A. Simmons (ed.). The Welfare of Wildlife. 

Veit, W. & Browning, H. (forthcoming). Animal desire. In A. Gregory (ed.). The Routledge Handbook on the Philosophy of Desire. 

Browning. H. & Powell, D. (2026). Navigating welfare contradictions in zoo-supported conservation activities. Zoo Biology: e70100
https://doi.org/10.1002/zoo.70100 [Download]

Webb, L.E., Bolhuis, J.E., Jurkovich, V., Ipema, A.F., Chincarini, M., Favreau-Peigné, A., Forkman, B., Clouard, C., Tuyttens, F., Browning, H., Menchetti, L., Bak Jensen, M., Elmaz, Ö ., Šárová, R., Głogowski, R., Duepjan, S., Celozzi, S., Veit, W., Tallet, C. (2026). Balancing the animal affective scales - Can the methodology of human affect balance be translated to other sentient species? Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. 106914
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2026.106914 

Elliott, V., Beausoleil, N., Browning, H., Díez-León, M., Goddard, P., Graham, M., Ramp, D., Sebo, J., Soryl, A. & Zemanova, M.A. (2026). The emerging field of wild animal welfare science. Trends in Ecology & Evolution. Online first.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2026.06.003 [Download]

Keens Caballero, H., Browning, H., Lambton, S., Maye, D., & Roe, E. (2026). Resilience ontologies in veterinary science: How they shape the way we address resilience. Veterinary Sciences, 13(5): 471.
https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci13050471 [Download]

Veit, W. & Browning, H. (2026). Two kinds of conceptual engineering. Croatian Journal of Philosophy. 26(76): 49-70.
https://doi.org/10.52685/cjp.26.76.4 [Download]

Schnell, A.K., Browning, H., Crump, A., Burn, C.C. & Birch, J. (2026). Sentience in cephalopod molluscs: An updated assessment. Biological Reviews. 101: 1311-1333
https://doi.org/10.1002/brv.70125 

Ishida, S., Kagan, B.J., Kataoka, M., et al. (2026). Ethics and regulation of human brain organoid research: Recommendations from the Asia Pacific Neuroethics Working Group. Asian Bioethics Review. Online first.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s41649-025-00398-6 [Download]

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2025). Longtermism and animals. In H. Greaves, J. Barrett & D. Thorstad (eds). Essays on Longtermism. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 449-462
https://doi.org/10.1093/9780191979972.003.0028 [Download]

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2025). Self-awareness and personhood in non-human animals. In B.K. Keltz (ed). The Palgrave Handbook on the Problem of Animal Suffering in the Philosophy of Religion. Cham: Palgrave-Macmillan, pp. 475-498.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-88233-3_22

Browning, H. & Veit, W.  (2025). Best practice for farmed insect welfare: Lessons from Black Soldier Flies. CABI Animal Behaviour and Welfare Cases. abwcases20250014
https://doi.org/10.1079/abwcases.2025.0014. [Download preprint]

Veit, W., Browning, H., Garcia-Pelegrin, E., Davies, J.R., DuBois, J. & Clayton, N. (2025). Dimensions of corvid consciousness. Animal Cognition. 28:35
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-025-01949-y [Download]

Browning, H., Burn, C., Schnell, A., Crump, A. & Birch, J. (2025). Animal welfare risks from commercial practices involving cephalopod molluscs and decapod crustaceans. Animal Welfare 34(e24)
https://doi.org/10.1017/awf.2025.25 [Download]

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2025). Animal welfare, agency, and animal-computer interaction. Animals. 15(2): 219
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15020219 [Download]

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2025). Studying introspection in animals and AIs.  In F. Kammerer & K. Frankish (eds). The Landscape of Introspection: What Forms Could Introspective Systems Take? Exeter: Imprint Academic, pp. 52-63
https://www.imprint.co.uk/product/landscape/

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2023). Positive wild animal welfare. Biology and Philosophy. 38(14): 1-19
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10539-023-09901-5 [Download preprint]

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2023). Studying animal feelings: Integrating sentience research and welfare science. Journal of Consciousness Studies. 30(7-8): 196-222
https://doi.org/10.53765/20512201.30.7.196

Anomaly, J., Browning, H., Fleischman, D. & Veit, W. (2023). Flesh without blood: The public health benefits of lab-grown meat. Bioethical Enquiry. 21: 167-175
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11673-023-10254-7 [Download]

Veit, W. & Browning, H. (2023). Feminism and enhancement. In Edwards M.L. & Palermos, S.O. (eds). Feminist Philosophy and Emerging Technologies. New York: Routledge, pp. 37-55
https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003275992-4

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2023). The welfare of brain organoids. Molecular Psychology. 2(4): 1-9
https://doi.org/10.12688/molpsychol.17523.1

Crump, A., Browning, H., Schnell, A., Burn, C., and Birch, J. (2022). Invertebrate sentience and sustainable seafood. Nature Food. 3: 884-886
https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-022-00632-6 [View]

Crump, A., Browning, H., Schnell, A., Burn, C., and Birch, J. (2022). Animal sentience research: Synthesis and proposals. Animal Sentience. 32(31)
https://doi.org/10.51291/2377-7478.1770  [Download]

Crump, A., Browning, H., Schnell, A., Burn, C., and Birch, J. (2022) Sentience in decapod crustaceans: A general framework and review of the evidence. Animal Sentience. 32(1)
https://doi.org/10.51291/2377-7478.1691 [Download]

Browning, H. & Birch, J. (2022). Animal sentience. Philosophy Compass. e12822: 1-14
https://doi.org/10.1111/phc3.12822 [Download]

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2022). The sentience shift in animal research. The New Bioethics. 28(4): 299-314
https://doi.org/10.1080/20502877.2022.2077681 [Download]

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2022). The importance of end-of-life welfare. Animal Frontiers. 12(1): 8-15
https://doi.org/10.1093/af/vfab078 [Download]

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2022). Why are we here? Evangelion and the desperate search for meaning in life. In  Cotton, C. & Winters, A.M. (eds.) Neon Genesis Evangelion and Philosophy. Chicago: Carus Books, pp. 3-12
<Link to book> [Download preprint]

Birch, J., Burn, C., Schnell, A., Browning, H. & Crump, A. (2021). Review of the Evidence of Sentience in Cephalopod Molluscs and Decapod Crustaceans. London: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
[Download]


Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2021). Freedom and animal welfare. Animals. 11(4): 1148
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11041148 [Download]

Veit, W. & Browning, H. (2021). Developmental programming, evolution, and animal welfare: A case for evolutionary veterinary science. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science. 26(4): 552-564
https://doi.org/10.1080/10888705.2021.2014838 [Download]

Veit, W. & Browning, H. (2021). Phenomenology applied to animal health and suffering. In S. Ferrarello (Ed.), Phenomenology of Bioethics: Technoethics and Lived-Experience. Springer: pp. 73-88
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65613-3_6  [Download preprint]

Veit, W. & Browning, H. (2021). Ethics of Mixed Martial Arts. In Holt, J. & Ramsay, M. (Ed.), The Philosophy of Mixed Martial Arts: Squaring the Octagon. London: Routledge, pp. 134-149.
https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003122395-12 [Download preprint]

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2020). The Measurement Problem of Consciousness. Philosophical Topics. 48(1): 85-108. 
https://doi.org/10.5840/philtopics20204815 [Download preprint]

Veit, W. & Browning, H. (2020). Perspectival pluralism for animal welfare. European Journal for Philosophy of Science. 11(9). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13194-020-00322-9 [Download]

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2020). Is humane slaughter possible? Animals. 10(5): 799
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10050799 [Download]

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2020). Confined freedom and free confinement: The ethics of captivity in Life of Pi. In Á. T. Bogár and R. S. Szigethy (Eds.). Critical Insights: Life of Pi. Salem Press: 119-134.
https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.27969.38246/1  <Link to Book>  [Download preprint]

Browning, H. & Maple, T. (2019). Developing a metric of usable space for zoo exhibits. Frontiers in Psychology. 10(791)  https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00791 [Download]

Browning-Jones, H. & Moro, L. (2006). A multi-sensory enrichment program for ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) at Auckland Zoo, including a novel feeding device. In Proceedings of the 1st Australasian Regional Environmental Enrichment Conference (pp. 42-47).
https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.10908.92809 [Download]

Coauthored Commentaries and Book Reviews

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2026). Evolution, time, and the observer. Behavioral and Brain Sciences. 49: e170
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X25102926

Dickel, L., Truong, S., Browning, H., Lynning Harfeld, J., & Rademann, A. (2026). Book review: Martha C. Nussbaum, Justice for Animals: Our Collective Responsibility, Simon & Schuster, New York (2020). Applied Animal Behaviour Science. 295: 106886 
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106886 

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2025). Book review: Nigel Rothfels. Savages and beasts: the birth of the modern zoo (Revised Edition). 2025. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences. 47(40): 1-4
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40656-025-00690-6  [View online]

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2025). The neurodiversity model and medical model: Competitors or alternative perspectives? AJOB Neuroscience. 61(1): 32-34
https://doi.org/10.1080/21507740.2024.2437994

Jacquet, J. et al. (2024). Support US OCTOPUS Act to keep octopuses wild. Science. 385 (6710): 721-22
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adr3813

Veit, W. & Browning, H. (2024). Meta-learning and the evolution of cognition. Behavioral and Brain Sciences. 47 (e167)
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X24000177

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2024). Animal welfare science, performance metrics, and proxy failure. Behavioral and Brain Sciences. 47 (e70)
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X2300300X

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2024). Book review: Saving Animals, Saving Ourselves. Ethics. 134 (3): 443-447
https://doi.org/10.1086/728630

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2023). Studying introspection in animals and AIs. Journal of Consciousness Studies. 30 (9-10): 63-74
https://doi.org/10.53765/20512201.30.9.063

Jacquet, J., Franks, B., Browning, H., Donoso, A., Hayek, M., Hessler, K. & Sellars, L. (2023). Away from an offshore aquaculture industry in the United States. Marine Policy. 160: 105968
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2023.105986

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2023). Moral Awareness and Animal Welfare (book review). Animal Welfare. 32 (e39)
https://doi.org/10.1017/awf.2023.33

Veit, W. & Browning, H. (2023). Neural networks, AI, and the goals of modeling. Behavioral and Brain Sciences. 46 (e411)
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X23001681

Veit, W. & Browning, H. (2023). Evolutionary mismatch and anomalies in the memory system. Behavioral and Brain Sciences. 46 (e381)
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X23000183

Veit, W. & Browning, H. (2023). Puritanical morality and the scaffolded evolution of self-control. Behavioral and Brain Sciences. 46 (e319)
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X23000535

Veit, W. & Browning, H. (2023). The design space of human communication and the nonevolution of ideography. Behavioral and Brain Sciences. 46 (e255)
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X23000754

Veit, W. & Browning, H. (2023). Polygenic scores and social science. Behavioral and Brain Sciences. 46 (e229)
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X22002345

Veit, W. & Browning, H. (2023). Hominin life history, pathological complexity, and the evolution of anxiety. Behavioral and Brain Sciences. 46 (e79)
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X22001923 [Download preprint]

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2023). Regulating possibly sentient human cerebral organoids. AJOB Neuroscience. 14(2): 197-199
https://doi.org/10.1080/21507740.2023.2188293

Veit, W. & Browning, H. (2023). Defending sentientism. AJOB Neuroscience. 14(2): 168-170
https://doi.org/10.1080/21507740.2023.2188292

Veit, W. & Browning, H. (2023). Social robots and the intentional stance. Behavioral and Brain Sciences. 46 (e47)
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X22001595 [Download preprint]

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2023). Optimism about measuring animal feelings. Asian Bioethics Review: 1-5
https://doi.org/10.1007/s41649-023-00244-7

Veit, W. & Browning, H. (2023). The scaffolded evolution of human communication. Behavioral and Brain Sciences. 46 (e17)
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X2200070X [Download preprint]

Veit W. & Browning, H. (2022). Darwinian and autopoietic views of the organism. Constructivist Foundations. 18(1): 103–105.
https://constructivist.info/18/1/103

Veit, W. & Browning, H. (2022). On the evolutionary origins of the bifocal stance. Behavioral and Brain Sciences. 45 (e270)
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X22001273 [Download preprint]

Veit, W. & Browning, H. (2022). Life, mind, agency: Why Markov blankets fail the test of evolution. Behavioral and Brain Sciences. 45 (e214)
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X22000115 [Download preprint]

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2022). Autism and the preference for imaginary worlds. Behavioral and Brain Sciences. 45 (e279)
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X21002211 [Download preprint]

Veit, W. & Browning, H. (2022). Pathological complexity and the evolution of sex differences. Behavioral and Brain Sciences. 45(149): 57-58
https://www.doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X22000498. [Download preprint]

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2022). More than zombies: Considering the animal subject in de-extinction. Ethics, Policy & Environment. 25(2): 121-124
https://doi.org/10.1080/21550085.2022.2071552 [Download preprint]

Birch, J., Broom, D.M., Browning, H., Crump, A., Ginsburg, S., Halina, M., Harrison, D., Jablonka, E., Lee, A.Y., Kammerer, F. and Klein, C. (2022). How should we study animal consciousness scientifically? Journal of Consciousness Studies. 29(3-4): 8-28
https://doi.org/10.53765/20512201.29.3.008 [Download]

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2021). Evolutionary biology meets consciousness: Essay review of Simona Ginsburg and Eva Jablonka’s The Evolution of the Sensitive Soul. Biology and Philosophy. 36(1): 5
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10539-021-09781-7 [Download]

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2021). Does utilitarianism need a rethink? Review of Louis Narens and Brian Skyrms’ The Pursuit of Happiness. Journal of Economic Methodology. 29(3): 256-261
https://doi.org/10.1080/1350178X.2021.1985755 [Download preprint]

Veit, W. & Browning, H. (2021). Extending animal welfare science to include wild animals. Animal Sentience. 31(1).
https://doi.org/10.51291/2377-7478.1675 [Download]

Birch, J. & Browning, H. (2021). Neural organoids and the precautionary principle. The American Journal of Bioethics. 21(1): 56-58.
https://doi.org/10.1080/15265161.2020.1845858 [Download preprint]

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2021). On the relevance of experimental philosophy to neuroethics. AJOB Neuroscience. 13(1): 55-57
https://doi.org/10.1080/21507740.2021.2001080 [Download preprint]

Veit, W. & Browning, H. (2021). Has the socio-political role of neuroethics been neglected? AJOB Neuroscience. 13(1): 23-25 
https://doi.org/10.1080/21507740.2021.2001079 [Download preprint]

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2021). Utilitarian lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic for non-pandemic diseases. American Journal of Bioethics. 21(12): 39-42
https://doi.org/10.1080/15265161.2021.1991035 [Download preprint]

Veit, W., Earp, B.D., Browning, H., & Savulescu, J. (2021). Evaluating trade-offs between autonomy and wellbeing in supported decision making. American Journal of Bioethics. 21(11): 21-24
https://doi.org/10.1080/15265161.2021.1980134 [Download preprint]

Veit, W. & Browning, H. (2020). Why socio-political beliefs trump individual morality: An evolutionary perspective. AJOB Neuroscience. 11(4): 290-292.
https://doi.org/10.1080/21507740.2020.1830879

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2020). Improving invertebrate welfare. Animal Sentience. 29(4)
http://doi.org/10.51291/2377-7478.1585 [Download]

Public Engagement

Browning, H. (2025). How citizens’ assemblies could improve animal welfare. The Conversation.
https://theconversation.com/how-citizens-assemblies-could-improve-animal-welfare-259755

Veit, W. & Browning, H. (2025). What’s it like being a raven or a crow? The Conversation.
https://theconversation.com/whats-it-like-being-a-raven-or-a-crow-257171

Browning, H. (2025). Science brought the dire wolf back – but who’s thinking about its welfare? LBC Opinion.
 https://www.lbc.co.uk/opinion/views/science-dire-wolf-animal-welfare/

Browning, H. (2023). Do the potential harms of de-extinction outweigh the benefits? CQ Researcher.
https://cqpress.sagepub.com/cqresearcher/report/cqpromo/yya2V8/reversing-extinction-cqresrre20230901

Browning, H. & Veit, W. (2023). What is life like as a wild animal? Probably nicer than you think. The Conversation.
https://theconversation.com/what-is-life-like-as-a-wild-animal-probably-nicer-than-you-think-205322

Browning, H., Schnell, A. & Birch, J. (2022). Octopus farms raise huge animal welfare concerns - and they’re unsustainable too. The Conversation.
https://theconversation.com/octopus-farms-raise-huge-animal-welfare-concerns-and-theyre-unsustainable-too-179134
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