Can meat eating be ethically justified?

Question

I live in the country, i've hunted and helped out on farms, so don't try to accusme of ignorance. Sorry if thats rude, but it always annoys me when people make rash assumptions.

Sorry about the misspelling above. The comment was directed entirely at lozzie

Answer 1

Since eating meat began before any justification was necessary except to feed one's self, the case must first be made for any lack of justification. Until that is done, no ethical or epistemological justification is necessary.

Answer 2

Eating meat is ethically wrong for many reasons. 1. You are needlessly killing innocent animals. Yes, there's a food chain but we aren't stupid. We have the brains and technology to create delicious meatless meals. So killing animals for food is inexcusable. There are over 520 million vegetarians around the world. Plus there's hundreds of millions of people who don't eat red meat or who are pescetarians. Cutting out meat can be done and is currently being done in India and throughout the rest of the world. Enough with the excuses. 2. Animals feel pain. Scientific studies have already confirmed that animals feel pain, have an advanced nervous system, and animals will run when you try to kill them in a slaughter house. Just watch a video and you will see what I mean. 3. Fur/Leather is a complete waste of money and abuse on an innocent animal. People wear cotton t-shirts, jeans, and synthetic jackets and sneakers all the time. So it's a pretty lame excuse to say you want to wear fur/leather because you "like how it looks." People are starving around the world. How about you buy a synthetic jacket and purse instead and use that extra money saved to feed the poor? 4. Leather furniture? More needless animal abuse. You mean to tell me you can't get a microfiber or faux leather sofa instead? 5. Animal dissections? You mean to tell me you can't watch a simulated video that shows you the anatomy of an animal? Please. There are no excuses. It's just like people who say they can't lose weight because they "don't have any time." It's a lame excuse. We all go grocery shopping so we all have the time to watch what we eat and buy.

Answer 3

Are you going to chastise the Crocodile for eating the bird? No.

Meat is the primary source of multiple nutrients required for ideal lifestyle. Vegetarians are normally horribly low on Iron, for example, and are very thin, bony, and get sick much more easily than meat eaters.

Eating meat is ethical, because it is natural. Just like eating fruit. Theoretically you are stealing a part of the tree from it while that part is in it's freshest form, but you don't care about that.. or the fact that the tree is one of the reasons you are breathing, or that the tree has a blood stream and is alive.. You take the fruit and eat it because you enjoy it a, and b because you need it to survive.

If you choose not to eat meat, that is your own individual choice, in the same way that a monk may choose to remain silent, or a priest may choose to become celibate or a University student may choose to learn a second language. However, it doesn't necessarily mean speaking, having a sexual relationship, or talking in alternate languages is wrong and you would never pressure people to change their ways because you did (well, perhaps not so on celibacy, but that's another topic). So why would you criticise meat eating?

Answer 4

What else you gonna do with all those cows in a cage. They keep making babies ya know. What do they really do with there lives any ways. The Lion eats meat he's the king. Veggy came from the desire to not be told what to do meaning what to eat too. Spare the young buck i begg you so he can grow into a big full flavered meal. And whatch his children grow up. You can get ham at the store until you find one.

Answer 5

Animals evidently contain things that we need to survive and thrive. Among other things, God made animals for man's use, which includes being able to have a rib platter every now and then. For a biblical and ethical justification of eating meat, see 1 Timothy 4:1-5.

Answer 6

Has anything ever been truly ethically justified? We drive cars and create road kill and pollution. Rocks come from the heavens and crush things some hold very dear. Others spread lies of invisible people living in the sky. And you want to know if it's ok if we eat our cow cousins to keep this party going? I don't know, I don't see any real ethics at work here.

Answer 7

Absolutely. Most animals eat meat in some shape or form, and they are certainly not lesser because of it. Since we have the capability, I think it is out moral and ethical obligation to respect and value the life that we take to eat meat, and to ensure the best quality of life (and death) that animal could possibly have. But yeah, I have pointy inscisors for good reason!

Answer 8

Our bodies are designed to be able to adapt and eat a varied source of nutrients. Humans are omnivorous, therefor capable of eating meats and plants.

There should be no ethical justification for doing what it is in our nature to do and have been designed to do. It just is.

Answer 9

i don't know about ethically justified, because of all of the resources used to raise an animal versus plants, but for many people it is one of life's pleasures. it's definitely the least efficient food we have, and that's without even broaching the animal cruelty issue. i was vegetarian for over 10 years, and I only eat meat now a couple times a year (hot dogs at baseball games...i know. gross). my huge issue is transportation.i ride a bike or use public transport (in Tucson this is not easy). I don't think that eating meat can ever be "ethical", but perhaps if we try to balance our lives and the resources that we use so that eating meat every once in a while or driving a car on occasion is not terribly irresponsible.

Answer 10

Yes. I have no problem with it at all. You must be a city slicker!

People who live in the farming community have no problem with it, you're just too far removed to comprehend it.

You probably think that all animals are cute and cuddly and that if we didn't eat some of them they would roam the countryside nibbling grass and looking like the cast in Bambi cartoons.