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Henry S. Salt (1851-1939) on "Humane Slaughter"

Animal Ethics

The plea that animals might be killed painlessly is a very common one with flesh-eaters, but it must be pointed out that what-might-be can afford no exemption from moral responsibility for what-is. Henry S.

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Jan Narveson on Moral Vegetarianism

Animal Ethics

Once one bears in mind that it is this comparative assessment that is required, then it seems to me there will be a strong case (1) for Humane Slaughter, and humane treatment prior to slaughter, and (2) insofar as really painless and comfortable animal-raising is not attained or attainable, giving vegetarianism a try, at least.

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R. G. Frey on Feeling and Principle

Animal Ethics

That is, if what the vegetarian wants is that we should stop eating meat even if we like eating it and even if our liking for it greatly exceeds our revulsion at the suffering of animals in being raised and slaughtered for food, then a decision to stop eating meat would seem to amount to a decision of principle.

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Moral Vegetarianism, Part 11 of 13

Animal Ethics

Whereas those arguments maintain that grain-eating animals should not be slaughtered, this argument is at least consistent with the position that they should be: grain-eating animals, it might be maintained by a new moral vegetarian, should be slaughtered to prevent them from eating more grain and producing new grain-eating offspring.

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From Today's New York Times

Animal Ethics

We are animals ourselves—and are no more (or less) than the animals we consume, or than the predators that would otherwise consume them. If we are not justified in eating mackerel ourselves, are we not also morally obligated to stop the slaughter brought on by the tuna? David Peters New York, Nov. Lisa Dinhofer Frederick, Md.,

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Prima Facie vs. Ultima Facie Wrongness

Animal Ethics

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. Is it necessary for us to kill animals for food? Or are we killing animals unnecessarily when we kill them for food? Running time: 12 Minutes.