Animal Ethics

JANUARY 17, 2008

Why does the Bush administration think that it is wrong for the Japanese to kill whales but permissible for the U.S. The point, of course, is that there is no necessary connection between (1) a person's attitude toward animals or the environment and (2) his or her normative political theory.

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Whales Whaling Los Angeles Mammals 40

Animal Ethics

FEBRUARY 6, 2010

Either the vegetarian argues on utilitarian premises, or he tries to supplement or replace his utilitarianism with some plausible non-utilitarian principles implying the wrongfulness of rearing and killing animals for food. Think of the difference between eating a hamburger and eating a veggie burger, for example.

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Vegetarian Hamburgers Morals Meat 40

Animal Ethics

MARCH 8, 2009

What Is an Animal Part? The last example suggests the difficulty of making a clear distinction between an animal part and an animal product. If a genetically engineered animal’s legs periodically fell off, would not its legs be more like a product of an animal (analogous to eggs) than a part of the animal?

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Vegetarian Morals Suffering Vegan 40

Animal Ethics

APRIL 16, 2009

The overwhelming passage in November of Proposition 2 in California, which banned tight confinement of many of the animals raised for food, is a fine example of the power of publicity to educate people about the atrocities we commit to those animals who have no voice of their own. Laura Frisk Encinitas, Calif., Kristof’s column.

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New York Times New York Proposition 2 Free Range 40

Animal Ethics

JULY 15, 2008

In the most alienated form of theriophobia, the beasts themselves were seen as animated by devils, and man's extermination of the beasts and of "savages" (bestial men) was carried on as part of God's war against Satan. Can you think of other such examples in the history of philosophy?

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Pigs Dolphins Slaughter Slaughtered 40

Animal Ethics

JANUARY 21, 2009

For example, he might maintain that dogs need meat to live or at least to be healthy; that it would be more morally wrong for him to deprive the dog of life or health than morally wrong to feed it meat. So in order to save the dog’s life or health, another animal must die. Not necessarily. Should he oppose this eating? If so, how?

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Morals Vegetarian Meat Lions 40

Animal Ethics

NOVEMBER 9, 2009

It is argued that the killing and eating of meat indirectly tends to brutalize people. Pacifists like Gandhi are often cited as examples of people who are vegetarians and who are opposed to violence. The Argument from Brutalization The previous argument was based on an alleged indirect effect on human beings of not eating meat.

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Vegetarian Morals Inhumane Meat 40

Animal Ethics

FEBRUARY 6, 2007

The reason that the industry is losing the argument is quite simple: There is no ethical justification for causing an animal to suffer unnecessarily. There is no ethical justification for treating an animal inhumanely for no good reason. There is no ethical justification for killing an animal for no good reason.

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Factory Factory Farm Factory Farming Gestation Crates 40

Animal Ethics

JULY 21, 2008

In 2004, for example, The New York Times broke the story about a PETA undercover investigation that found routine animal abuse at AgriProcessors kosher slaughterhouse. It should come as no surprise that a facility that profits from tormenting and killing animals would also oppress and abuse humans.

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New York Times New York Animal Abuse Ethical Treatment 40

Animal Ethics

JUNE 4, 2009

In fact, animals used for food do suffer a great deal. Not only are they killed in cruel ways, but it is well documented that they are raised in ways that cause them great discomfort and agony. KBJ: Singer’s claim is that one should not contribute, even incrementally, to animal suffering. One can do many things.

Vegetarian 40

Vegetarian Morals Protest Protesting 40

Animal Ethics

DECEMBER 23, 2006

Jonathan Hubbell, a philosophy major at the University of Texas at Arlington, is the newest member of the Animal Ethics blog, and once again, I would like to welcome him aboard. Since it would not be wrong to eat the flesh of animals raised in that manner, eating meat is not morally wrong! [As

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Factory Farm Factory Farming Morals Meat 40

Animal Ethics

DECEMBER 24, 2006

Example: A reference to "still undemocratic Iraq" makes the assertion that eventually Iraq will be democratic. Keith: What I call "editorializing by adverb" is the practice of inserting an adverb into a statement to make an assertion without seeming to make an assertion. Did you notice that "who" the writer slipped in there?

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Iraq Animal Ethics Ethics Humane 40