Killing factory farm animals, an ethical question

[Le Scratch]

Interitum

Le Scratch

Interitum

That doesn't justify it. At our point in evolution we can make conscious decisions about what we kill. If we find it wrong to kill humans then what makes us more important than other animals. What would the purpose even be to eat meat when we don't need it? To enjoy the flavor of food at the expense of another living being is horrible.

You had me up until 'another living being'. Plants are alive, as are fungi and bacteria, yet we consume them as well. At what point is something a living being that deserves to live? Everything humans eat was alive at some point, the exception being those strange incidences where people eat metal or plastic or what have you (and plastic is petroleum or bio-fuel based, so even it was alive at some point too). Where do we draw the line? Animal species? Multicellular species? Only those that are common to our lives, like livestock and pets? The answer is not to avoid killing, but to avoid suffering. We have thrived because of meat, and it has played a crucial role in our evolution by providing us with a rich source of calories and nutrients. We may not 'need' it with the rich variety of plant foods available to us now thanks mostly to the exchange of crop foods, but eating meat, be it beef, fish, or insects, is certainly a normal part of the human diet.

I consider a "being" to be some kind of animal. And yes meat is a normal part of our diet, however we no longer need it to survive. We can use other things to get the required substances that would usually come from meat.

Still, one cannot expect all people to follow the same code or to share the same definitions. The best you can do, personally, is to raise awareness and organize against practices like that, and to not purchase meat that comes from such places should you chose to consume it. Another option would be to raise any meat you do consume on your own, or through someone trustwrothy. Being a vegan is an expensive and exacting proposition, and it isn't the proper choice for even a large minority of people. In many cases, the consumption of meat is cheaper than the consumption of fruit and vegetables, and economics drives many people to eat more meat than they otherwise might because of that.

[Interitum]

Le Scratch

Interitum

Le Scratch

Interitum

That doesn't justify it. At our point in evolution we can make conscious decisions about what we kill. If we find it wrong to kill humans then what makes us more important than other animals. What would the purpose even be to eat meat when we don't need it? To enjoy the flavor of food at the expense of another living being is horrible.

You had me up until 'another living being'. Plants are alive, as are fungi and bacteria, yet we consume them as well. At what point is something a living being that deserves to live? Everything humans eat was alive at some point, the exception being those strange incidences where people eat metal or plastic or what have you (and plastic is petroleum or bio-fuel based, so even it was alive at some point too). Where do we draw the line? Animal species? Multicellular species? Only those that are common to our lives, like livestock and pets? The answer is not to avoid killing, but to avoid suffering. We have thrived because of meat, and it has played a crucial role in our evolution by providing us with a rich source of calories and nutrients. We may not 'need' it with the rich variety of plant foods available to us now thanks mostly to the exchange of crop foods, but eating meat, be it beef, fish, or insects, is certainly a normal part of the human diet.

I consider a "being" to be some kind of animal. And yes meat is a normal part of our diet, however we no longer need it to survive. We can use other things to get the required substances that would usually come from meat.

Still, one cannot expect all people to follow the same code or to share the same definitions. The best you can do, personally, is to raise awareness and organize against practices like that, and to not purchase meat that comes from such places should you chose to consume it. Another option would be to raise any meat you do consume on your own, or through someone trustwrothy. Being a vegan is an expensive and exacting proposition, and it isn't the proper choice for even a large minority of people. In many cases, the consumption of meat is cheaper than the consumption of fruit and vegetables, and economics drives many people to eat more meat than they otherwise might because of that.

What I expect is that humans will continue to destroy other species till their all extinct. It's only appropriate to kill other animals if your survival is threatened. If they need to do so to survive then it would be ok. But if they are only eating it because they like it it would be wrong.

[viscious_cookie]

So we kill the animals because they're in a terrible environment, in which we put them ourselves? Doesn't that sound circle-ish to you?

No, ethical speaking I think that sounds totally wrong. Killing them isn't a solution, it's the purpose of it all.
The solution woul be organic farming, giving them space and a good life. Shooting more wild animals which already had a good life.

[Teseron 34527]

do you own an iphone or any apple products?

[Michael Noire]

there's plenty of meat in hunting and free range animals to support the meat needs of people, we as a society eat too much meat as it is. Want more meat? Work on a farm or go hunting. But trying to torture and mass produce animals like plastic bottles? Not ethical.

Eat meat, but less, unless you plan on killing it yourself - or at least participating in doing so directly. Part of this plan would include improving the overall size of grass fed farms and extending hunting season. Something similar to hatcheries or wild life preserves would have to be produced to guarantee fresh generations of wild life in the event of over hunting, but overall the goal would be increasing the hunting numbers, not decreasing them.

I believe the psychological impact on the community would in general, reduce gun violence against humans as the social and psychological aspect of the hunt and need for sacrifice would be satisfied. Zombie games could be marketed less and hunting games marketed more. Imagine a FPS where you are wandering through an Alaska forest trying to get big points on a big buck and then out of nowhere an angry bear or mountain lion jumps out and tries to kill you. Point is, you can change the culture, and change the diet, and change the quality of food and the humanity behind it. It's all inter-related if you want it to be.

[The Not So Doomed Account]

Interitum

Le Scratch

Interitum

Le Scratch

Interitum

That doesn't justify it. At our point in evolution we can make conscious decisions about what we kill. If we find it wrong to kill humans then what makes us more important than other animals. What would the purpose even be to eat meat when we don't need it? To enjoy the flavor of food at the expense of another living being is horrible.

You had me up until 'another living being'. Plants are alive, as are fungi and bacteria, yet we consume them as well. At what point is something a living being that deserves to live? Everything humans eat was alive at some point, the exception being those strange incidences where people eat metal or plastic or what have you (and plastic is petroleum or bio-fuel based, so even it was alive at some point too). Where do we draw the line? Animal species? Multicellular species? Only those that are common to our lives, like livestock and pets? The answer is not to avoid killing, but to avoid suffering. We have thrived because of meat, and it has played a crucial role in our evolution by providing us with a rich source of calories and nutrients. We may not 'need' it with the rich variety of plant foods available to us now thanks mostly to the exchange of crop foods, but eating meat, be it beef, fish, or insects, is certainly a normal part of the human diet.

I consider a "being" to be some kind of animal. And yes meat is a normal part of our diet, however we no longer need it to survive. We can use other things to get the required substances that would usually come from meat.

Still, one cannot expect all people to follow the same code or to share the same definitions. The best you can do, personally, is to raise awareness and organize against practices like that, and to not purchase meat that comes from such places should you chose to consume it. Another option would be to raise any meat you do consume on your own, or through someone trustwrothy. Being a vegan is an expensive and exacting proposition, and it isn't the proper choice for even a large minority of people. In many cases, the consumption of meat is cheaper than the consumption of fruit and vegetables, and economics drives many people to eat more meat than they otherwise might because of that.

What I expect is that humans will continue to destroy other species till their all extinct. It's only appropriate to kill other animals if your survival is threatened. If they need to do so to survive then it would be ok. But if they are only eating it because they like it it would be wrong.

Humans are not the only animal who kills for the fun of it.
Humans are not the only animal that eats other animals.
What we do is natural, even if it leads to the extinction of an entire other species.

[Vlad T]

I must be confused, you are asking if it is ethically ok to mass kill factory farm animals? Don't the farms already do that...?
Oh, and the conditions the animals are kept in vary from county to country and if you are in the U.S. from state to state. Just saying, since I would think that makes a big difference on the ethical treatment.