The Ethics of Eating Meat
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Transcript of 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/