Discussion. In a guest post, Julian Savulescu, the Uehiro Professor of Practical Ethics at Oxford, says that cutting down on our consumption of meat and animal products is "one of the easiest things we can do to live more ethically". Even a vegan’s interests morally conflict with those of animals. From a spiritual point of view, some faiths allow humans to sacrifice animals on specific occasions. Along the way, I stayed at a Buddhist monastery in Nepal eating vegan “no death” food and learned about the ethical precepts behind “no killing.” It made sense. They wanted to hear how meat-eaters defend themselves against the overwhelming perception that a plant-based diet is best for ourselves and the planet. The question of whether it is right to eat animal flesh is among the most prominent topics in food ethics. The Questionable Ethics of Eating Meat Many people realize the questionable ethics of eating meat when they learn about modern husbandry and slaughtering techniques. Thanks to most everyone for being logical and respectful. The ethics of eating meat have been on my mind for a long time, during which I’ve tested everything from raw vegan diets to vegetarian to Paleo. In this lens, it is ethical to eat meat. Human Impact and Meat-Eating Ethics. EDIT: Wow, I didn't realize the hornet's nest I was kicking over here, this is a very interesting discussion with lots of great input! Philosopher Peter Singer on the Ethical Issues of Eating Meat. The Ethics of Eating Meat We are a nation of meat eaters. Not too long ago the New York Times asked its readers to write essays in no more than 600 words explaining why it’s ethical to eat meat. I do it so others, as well as myself, can eat them. The fact that I feel comfortable making such a distinction indicates something fundamental about ethics: they evolve. We are socialized from a young age to consume high levels of animal products. Should we eat red meat? The ethics of eating meat. Not too long ago the New York Times asked its readers to write essays in no more than 600 words explaining why it’s ethical to eat meat. Christine Korsgaard, the Arthur Kingsley Porter Professor of Philosophy at Harvard University, stresses another important consideration that receives much less public attention: the ethics of eating animals. This accident of circumstance probably disqualifies me from any serious ethical discussion of meat eating. To be sure, there are other less lethal ways of hitching ourselves to nature. A visit to the local grocery store shows that there is … Accepting an animal rights ideology requires denying our human impact on nature and assuming that it’s not ethical to eat meat. They wanted to hear how meat-eaters defend themselves against the overwhelming perception that a plant-based diet is best for ourselves and the planet. Meat-Eating Ethics: Animal Suffering vs. Happiness. In my mind, eating #906 (a red mottle-face cow with upturned horns currently braising in the slow cooker) is an ethically different activity than eating a Big Mac on the run. The nutrition and the ethics ... but you may have seen recent media reports about processed meat and cancer risk. I live very close to the forces of nature that give (and take) life … The coworking company, WeWork, has banned meat, citing an attempt to reduce its carbon footprint. Meat eating can be an ecological good insofar as the act reaffirms an environmental ethics that places other species’ interests alongside human interests. We’ve heard arguments about the environmental disadvantages of eating red meat. For centuries, philosophers have made a moral case against meat-eating. We’ve also heard about the possible health impacts. Cutting the meat from human diet is also unnatural. Oxford Arts Blog. The human idea of individual rights isn’t applicable to nature. Whether our interest in eating animals trumps their interest in living hinges on the question of suffering. The ethical arguments against eating meat. Animal Ethics: Conclusion. This deeply ingrained meat-eating tradition is a big part of the American standard diet. Then again, who can? Moral philosopher Peter Singer believes meat ethics should be taught to children in schools and students should be encouraged to questions their eating habits. (7) In 2008, 17,328,000 cattle, 4,590,314,000 chickens, and 57,542,000 hogs were slaughtered for food. Killing and eating animals is a natural part of biology and there seem to be no solid ethical arguments against it.