the ethics of eating meat

8/11/2019 The Ethics of Eating Meat

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THE ETHICS OF EATING

MEAT

Daniel Blanchard


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WHAT IS ETHICS?

Definition: The area of philosophy concerned with

what is good and how one ought to conduct one

Utilitarianism

Deontology

Virtue Ethics


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CHAPTER 17: THE ETHICS OF EATING MEAT

What does ethics require of us with regard to eatin

animal products?

Depends on the method of production


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FACTORY FARMING

Inflicts prolonged suffering on sows, caged hens, d

cows, beef cattle, etc.

While we must respect extraneous factors that mig

make it impossible or very difficult for families to ea

non factory farmed food, factory farmed food isunethical


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UNSOUND DEFENSES OF FACTORY FARMING

We have no duties to animals, because they are

incapable of having duties towards us The same can be said for babies or the severely

disabled

If animals eat each other, why cant we eat them?

Animals kill and eat on instinct Factory farming isnt natural

Can be used to justify other inequalities (racism, sexism,


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UNSOUND DEFENSES OF FACTORY FARMING

Factory farming is justifiable despite the suffering it

inflicts due to culture

Cultural practices are not above ethical scrutiny

The choice is not between factory farming andveganism

Humanely produced animal products Potentially increases health

Unlikely to hurt the worlds poor

Harm to animals outweighs gastronomic satisfaction


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SHOULD WE BE VEGANS/VEGETARIANS

Is it wrong to kill animals, without suffering, for food

What moral status do animals have?


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ETHICS AND ANIMALS

Animals have the capacity to suffer and therefore

have interests

Speciesism is akin to racism or sexism

Some argue that humans are superior to other animreasoning ability

What about infants or the disabled


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EQUAL CONSIDERATION

Should animals have equal rights?

No, that would be ridiculous

Should animals be given equal consideration?

Yes, this causes our line of moral reasoning to shift afrom considering unnecessary suffering and insteafocus on consideration of equal interests


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THE BEST DEFENSE FOR EATING MEAT

The argument from domestication

Animals adapted to live with us

There are more animals than there would be if theynot been domesticated for consumption

However, there is no purpose to evolution

Species cannot discover or enter into a bargain withumanity


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THE BEST DEFENSE FOR EATING MEAT

A better formulation is that: Animals have evolved to be domesticated and have n

that is fulfilled by domesticated lives

Killing and eating them is necessary for that process to ex

Therefore, on the whole, the system benefits animals more

it hurts them

This only applies to farmers that treat their animals well


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QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BEST DEFENSE

Is existence better than nonexistence?

Only extant beings have interests

However, it can be said that bringing a being into tworld that will be miserable and suffer is bad

Why then, is it not good, to produce happy and fulfilbeings?

Assume that if the animal has a good life and a qu

death, then it is good


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QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BEST DEFENSE

This still cuts animals lives short

Why is this not wrong?

human beings are fulfilled by their achievements a

not merely their comforts. What about the severely disabled?


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CONCLUSIONS

If people became vegetarian, less land would beneeded for food production, allowing for more wil

space

Even if it is ethically justifiable to eat meat that wasproduced humanely, it is difficult to ensure the methat you are eating comes from such animals

Hunting does not guarantee a quick death Animals causing ecological harm are more ethicall

acceptable to hunt

What about more humane methods of populationcontrol?


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CHAPTER 18: WHAT SHOULD WE EAT

There are 5 ethical principles to consider:

Transparency

Fairness

Humanity

Social Responsibilities

Needs


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FACTORY FARMED FOOD

Not humane, sustainable, or environmentally friend

Cannot be ethically justified


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FISH AND OTHER MARINE ANIMALS

Unethical by and large:

Farmed fishunethical

Wild caught fishbetter than other meat if caught

sustainable fisheries, but suffering is still caused in de Invertebratesif they cant feel pain and are prod

sustainably, then it would be ethical


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ORGANIC, LOCAL, AND FAIR TRADE

Organic: marginally better than factory farms, but

important ecological advantages over factory far

Local: It is good to buy local when products are in

season, however it can be ethically justified to notlocally

Fair trade: buy fair trade products wherever possib


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WHICH SHOULD YOU CHOOSE?

Humanely raised and killed?

Vegetarian?

Vegan?

Whatever you do, dont be fanatical


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SOME ADDITIONAL ARGUMENTS AGAINST VEGANIS

If we didnt eat animals, they would overpopulatestarvecarrying capacity

If we dont milk cows, they will suffer because of

backed up milk

Humans are meant to eat meat

A special note on religious arguments:


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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Do you find these arguments compelling?

Is there an argument against or for veganism that not been presented here?

Even if it is ethically justified to eat meat under cer

circumstances, should you be a vegan or vegetar

for practical reasons?

Do you plan on changing any of your behavior aft

reading this book?

Do these arguments prohibit experimentation on

animals?


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SOURCES

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-virtue/

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-virtue/ http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-deontolog

http://www.care2.com/causes/10_arguments_aga

_a_vegan_lifestyle.html

https://www.boundless.com/biology/textbooks/boess-biology-textbook/population-and-community-

ecology-45/environmental-limits-to-population-gro

251/logistic-growth-930-12186/
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-virtue/http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-virtue/http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-deontological/http://www.care2.com/causes/10_arguments_against_a_vegan_lifestyle.htmlhttp://www.care2.com/causes/10_arguments_against_a_vegan_lifestyle.htmlhttp://www.care2.com/causes/10_arguments_against_a_vegan_lifestyle.htmlhttp://www.care2.com/causes/10_arguments_against_a_vegan_lifestyle.htmlhttp://www.care2.com/causes/10_arguments_against_a_vegan_lifestyle.htmlhttp://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-deontological/http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-deontological/http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-deontological/http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-virtue/http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-virtue/http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-virtue/http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-virtue/http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-virtue/http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-virtue/http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-virtue/http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-virtue/

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