Anna,
There are hypotheses out there suggesting that the extraordinary evolution
of the human brain had to do with meat consumption so maybe we would not
even be here discussing the matter had the first hominids not started
eating meat. Or maybe our minds would not have developed the concept of
ethics. I can't give you a reference though. We can discuss the ethical
dilemma forever without reaching a conclusion. Do species at higher
trophic levels "exploit" the ones at lower trophic levels? Are not we
killing insects with either pesticides and/or natural predators to get
higher yields? Is not that exploitation? Is it morally wrong to be a
parasite? and a carnivore?...
> > In message
> > <[log in to unmask]>, Dick
> > Morris <[log in to unmask]> writes
> > >Anna
> > >This is a fascinating issue, regarding which I have taken great
delight
> in
> > >offending vegetarian/vegan enthusiasts over many years!
> > >
> > >
> > >Dick Morris
> > >Senior Lecturer in Systems
> > >Open University
> >
> >
> > OK, up to a point. But 40+% of UK cereal production goes to feed
> > animals so this is not a marginal effect?
> > --
> > Ian Alexander
>
>
> Of course this is not a marginal effect. But the question was not about
> getting into discussions with those that defend that the world would be a
> better place (less environmental damage, less animal suffering/distress
and
> presumably also improved human health) if we could decrease the total
meat
> consumption. My original question concerned the argument that all humans
> ought to be vegans and stop 'exploiting' animals, an argument expressed
by
> certain philosophers and not-so-small numbers of followers in the
> animal-rights and animal-liberation movements.
>
> Anna Olsson
>
Pelayo Alvarez
Ecology Graduate Group
University of California, Davis
Phone 530-750-2492
|