Philosophical Vegan Forum

Why killing animals for food is considered unethical? Isn't that how nature works?

Trolexander D wrote:Why killing animals for food is considered unethical?

Killing animals for food when unnecessary is unethical because it violates the interests of sentient beings without good reason. However, killing animals for food when necessary is not unethical.

Trolexander D wrote:Isn't that how nature works?

Natural is not intrinsically good. Rape, infanticide, and eating one's own feces are all occurrences in nature. Should we therefore rape, kill (human) babies, and eat poop in order to be natural?

This is called an appeal to nature fallacy:
https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/appeal-to-nature

Nature isn't suppose to be good. I understand that. But, we can find good reasons to not do the stuffs you listed. However, I have not found any valid reason so far to justify being a vegan. Animals depend on other animals and plants for food and us humans also belong to that food network. So I why would it be inhumane to consume another animal just because they have 'feelings'?

Trolexander D wrote:Nature isn't suppose to be good. I understand that. But, we can find good reasons to not do the stuffs you listed. However, I have not found any valid reason so far to justify being a vegan. Animals depend on other animals and plants for food and us humans also belong to that food network. So I why would it be inhumane to consume another animal just because they have 'feelings'?

Why are feelings in quotation marks? I'm triggered.

Animals have many of the same feelings and desires as humans. If we want morality to be consistent, then we have to apply it to all conscious brains, and not just arbitrarily reserve it for humans. Even if we still consider humans to be of highest moral value, it's still wrong to kill animals for fun (=meat-eating in most parts of the world)

I get that animal abuse, factory farming, killing animals for their body parts are all morally wrong. But I'm talking specifically about killing for food. Just because it has feelings, does it mean I cannot eat it? We're omnivorous by nature after all, the whole food network thing I mentioned earlier.

Trolexander D wrote:I get that animal abuse, factory farming, killing animals for their body parts are all morally wrong. But I'm talking specifically about killing for food. Just because it has feelings, does it mean I cannot eat it? We're omnivorous by nature after all, the whole food network thing I mentioned earlier.

https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/appeal-to-nature

We're omnivores, but that doesn't say a whole lot. It just means we're capable of surviving on all kinds of foods, not that we should eat meat and plants in some 50/50 ratio, or that meat is even necessary at all. There's also a lot of evidence that suggests that animal products are bad for our health.

Just because it has feelings, does it mean I cannot eat it? We're omnivorous by nature after all, the whole food network thing I mentioned earlier.

That might as well be an argument for eating human babies, If I was in a country where that was legal, would there be nothing wrong with me eating human babies?

Trolexander D wrote:I get that animal abuse, factory farming, killing animals for their body parts are all morally wrong. But I'm talking specifically about killing for food.

It was already stated above that killing for food is NOT wrong if it's necessary. This applies to humans and non-human animals.

For example, if you are stranded on a small island with no other food source with your best friend, you would be justified in killing your best friend for food in order to survive.
In the same situation, you would be justified in killing a dog, cat, pig, fish, etc. to survive.

However, if you are in the middle of a grocery store, and you just happen to be craving human flesh because you like the taste, you would NOT be justified in killing your friend for food.
The same way you are not justified in killing dogs, cats, pigs, fish, etc. IF you have other healthy and nutritious things to eat instead.

If you live in a country where there are no vegetables, beans, and other vegan products available to eat, and you will die unless you don't eat meat, then you would be justified in doing that until you can find another food source.
If you live in a place where humans are the only thing to eat, likewise, you would be justified in doing so.

Does that make sense?

Trolexander D wrote:Just because it has feelings, does it mean I cannot eat it?

No, it means you should not eat it if you have the option to eat something without feelings, or with fewer feelings, instead.

Given the choice to eat a human or a dog, eat the dog. Given the choice to eat a dog or beans, eat the beans.

Always choose the action which will cause the least harm, whenever possible.

Trolexander D wrote:Nature isn't suppose to be good. I understand that. But, we can find good reasons to not do the stuffs you listed.

What are the good reasons for a man not to rape his wife or eat his own children if he wants to aside from morality?

We don't allow this because it is immoral. Many laws legislate moral conduct in society. We don't ban all immoral actions, but as society progresses the legal system recognizes and prohibits more wrongs.

Trolexander D wrote:Animals depend on other animals and plants for food and us humans also belong to that food network.

Humans have, through technology, mostly removed themselves from the 'food chain'. We farm, and we can choose to grow what we want to eat, and we have eliminated or controlled the vast majority of natural predators that could kill us; even most diseases.

The fact is that humans no longer need to depend on animals for food. Plant-based foods are healthier for us and let us live slightly longer and significantly more healthy lives, and are better for the environment thus conserving resources and reducing the chance and severity of disaster.
First world human society is better off not eating animals any longer. Only people in the "third world" may need to eat animals. Do you live in a third world country, in a tribal village, and not have access to nutritious plant agricultural products?

Can anyone of you tell me how to reply to each comment separately like you guys did? Sorry I'm new here.