Basic Argument for Vegetarianism - James Rachels (1991)

#philosophy #ethics #moralphilosophy

[ΑΙΩΝ-χη]

I think it is also owing to the widespread finding (or is it merely a myth?) that in the far past humans managed to advance themselves (their brains) by changing their diet and starting to eat meat. So without meat there would be no homo sapiens.

This story is being transmitted in more or less subtle ways from different sources (see the intro to Space Odyssey 2001 film as an example).

I heard people say that while raising children one must not exclude meat from their diet because otherwise one runs into the risk of raising debilitated or unintelligent offspring. By the way, a similar view concerns breast milk.

It seems to me that there is a huge social pressure, caused by some subtle fear, to eat more meat and make oneself believe that it tastes really good.

[anteodedi]

So well said. What's being done to animals is atrocious! Unless the non-killing of animals entails human death or makes humans face insurmountable suffering, there is no justification whatsoever. The other reasons offered don't hold water by my lights.
They are trivial.

[HallidayASR]

Dumb, as if those were the only two justifications. In our current society meat and animal products are usually cheaper, easier to find, more convenient, tastier, and more versatile (there's a whole universe of dishes you just can't prepare with green options). Now, surprise surprise, I'm a vegan! But this in undeniable for most cases. If we want to advance to a vegan society, we need to make vegan products truly triumph in all these aspects, and when we do, I guarantee you we won't need to go around convincing people to turn vegan, they'll join on their own!

[balsarmy]

I am eating fish. Because it is not easy for me to rransfer my diet. I do it step by step

[Breakfast_of_Champions]

The problem of course being that our physiology is not at all adapted to vegetarianism. And of course the irony that this comes from someone living in a country that has killed uncounted numbers of people in wars and is still very much at it.