Well, this certainly opens up a can of worms, along with a streak of predictable vegetarian-baiting. I'll bite:
I've been a vegetarian for 35 years. I don't pretend to speak for all vegetarians, not should PETA or any other entity. I've made a choice, based on my own values and reasoning. It would be silly to argue that humans are not naturally evolved as omnivores; our dentition and digestive tracts make that clear. However, we have also evolved critical reasoning facilities--admittedly some of us more than others--and we no longer live in a state of nature. We have the luxury of making choices.
I'm not maligning anyone for making a mindful dietary/lifestyle decision; I do see some lopsided logic at work here:
Perhaps one day we'll end up by appreciating that the number of legs, the furriness of the skin or the tip of the sacral bone are completely inadequate reasons for abandoning a sensate animal. The question is not 'Can they reason?' nor 'Can they speak ?' but 'Can they suffer ?' "
I've been a vegetarian for 35 years. I don't pretend to speak for all vegetarians, not should PETA or any other entity. I've made a choice, based on my own values and reasoning. It would be silly to argue that humans are not naturally evolved as omnivores; our dentition and digestive tracts make that clear. However, we have also evolved critical reasoning facilities--admittedly some of us more than others--and we no longer live in a state of nature. We have the luxury of making choices.
I'm not maligning anyone for making a mindful dietary/lifestyle decision; I do see some lopsided logic at work here:
Jordan, I respect your decision, but question your reasoning. This strikes me as an "end justifies the means" argument. Raising animals for food is one thing; doing so with no regard for the quality of stewardship seems base and thoughtless. At the risk of seeming even more pompous, I'll recall the words of philosopher Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832):...discriminating veal or foie gras just because of it's production methods [is] preposterous and hypocritical. We kill animals and eat their muscles and organs and they're delicious. There's no difference in how it's done...
Perhaps one day we'll end up by appreciating that the number of legs, the furriness of the skin or the tip of the sacral bone are completely inadequate reasons for abandoning a sensate animal. The question is not 'Can they reason?' nor 'Can they speak ?' but 'Can they suffer ?' "
Prof, you've always seemed a thoughtful man. Invoking The Nuge does nothing to further your argument.Reminds me of a Ted Nugent quote:
"Vegetarians are cool. All I eat are vegetarians - except for the occasional mountain lion steak."
This is probably the best considered response I've seen here.Its both delicious and cruel...