Hi everyone,
Speaking of nutty numbers, I ran across the following argument this weekend
while perusing the internet; just thought I'd try it out here. :-) This
was posted to the alt.animals.ethics.vegetarian newsgroup:
>
>Eating a 1/4 lb of hamburger represents literally 1/2400 of an
>animal death or less. Eating a 1/4 lb of grain could represent
>1 animal death or more (we don't know). That 1/4 pound of beef
>with 1/2400 of an animal replaces the 1 animal death from the
>grain (and that assumes that the grain is providing the same
>number of calories, which is not accurate).
>
Do folks here think these numbers stack up or not? In some ways, that's a
serious question, too--I'd be interested to hear what people think.
Jim T.
>Chris wrote:
>>Dear Jamey,
>
>>I would be interested in exploring this line of reasoning. I think it >holds
>promise. My guess is that there is no way of assigning the weights
>>*objectively*. The best we can do is lay out our own subjective weights >and
>be prepared to defend them.
>
>>So what are my weights? I would think something like:
>
>>Chimp 0.1
>>Cow 0.01
>>Fish 0.0001
>
>>(all against human = 1).
>
>
>Chris,
>Yes, Chris, your numbers for the aforementioned animals are insultingly low,
>and no, I think that it is false that the numbers would be completely
>subjective. The numbers are based on something very objective; the ability to
>suffer. Granted, maybe thier LIVES might not have an objective value. I
>think you would agree that when a cruel experiment is performed on a
>chimpanzee, that he/she does not suffer only 10% as much. He/she may only
>have 10% of the cerebral intellect you call human. It is entirely possible
>that the fish that you give .01% ethical weight, again can suffer likely 100%
>as well as a human. Ecologically, some fish are literally a dime a dozen, and
>intellectually (such as the ability for abstract thought) maybe even .01% is
>high for a fish, but as someone who used to have them as companion animals, I
>can tell you that some fish are extremely intelligent and some very emotional
>and any biology student can tell you that they have an extremely complex
>brain, completely able to suffer and feel many of the same emotions that we
>feel.
>
>Though we disagree on the numbers, still I agree with you 100% that if people
>would only grant the meager moral weights that you did, that this would make
>unjust vivisection, factory farming, killing for sport and many other
>activities that are accepted casually in our modern day society. I appreciate
>your intelligent comments.
>
>Peace for All Beings
>Jamey Lee West
>
>
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