The Ethics of Eating Animals

'What is good?', 'How should one act?', 'Why be moral?' are some of the central questions concerning ethics in the study of philosophy. The history of ethics in philosophy has predominately concerned ethical actions and goals with regards to human beings, or homo-sapiens. Although some schools of ethics have looked at the treatment of animals, it is safe to say that compared to the search for a sound human ethical theory, animal ethics and the issues concerning non-human animals has not been as fully appreciated as it should be.

Here are a couple of videos and an article which discuss views on the treatment of animals, as well as demonstrating the real challenge humans face in the argument on defending the eating of meat.

The first of the videos is a short talk by neuroscientist Sam Harris, and shows how hard it is even for an intellect like Sam to ethically defend the eating of meat.

The second video is a conversation between one of the leading ethicist (or, bio ethicist), philosopher Peter Singer and renowned evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins. Once again the video shows that some of the leading intellectual figures of our generation are unable to ethically justify the mass human consumption of meat, along with the factory-farming that comes with it.

 

Finally, here is a link to an article that I wrote for Yuppee Magazine after reading an article on David Attenborough and his view on the eating of animals. I owe my initial understanding of the topic to philosopher Peter Singer and theologian Peter Vardy.

Article: 'David Attenborough, the animal-eater; Speciesism; and the Horse Meat Scandal'
Available here: http://www.yuppee.com/?p=4351&preview=true

State of Nature & Social contract in Thomas Hobbes and the Mahābhārata

How does the vision of the ruler-less world and the justification put forward for the role of the king in the Mahābhārata compare to that found in Hobbes and/or Locke?

 

In this essay I will be drawing similarities and differences between the view of the ruler-less world and the justification for the role of King, in the Mahābhārata, with Thomas Hobbes’ view of the state of nature and the absolute sovereign, mainly focusing on his work, Leviathan.

Karl Marx and Morality

Should we go along with Marx’s claim that morality is simply part of the ideological superstructure of society?

In this essay I will discuss the key themes of Karl Marx’s claim that morality is simply ‘the ideas of the ruling class...’ and ‘...are in every epoch the ruling ideas[1]’,which is grounded in The German Ideology and The Communist Manifesto.In other words, morality derives from ideology and ideology derives from the ruling class. Also, I will analyse some of the key arguments put against Marx in Chapter 10 of Daniel Brudney’s Marx’s Attempt to Leave Philosophy. 

Religion, Blasphemy and Freedom of Speech Debate Summary

Religion, Blasphemy and Freedom of Speech Debate Summary

Danish Cartoon Controversy

Given the task of staging a debate on blasphemy, in my Drama & Theatre module, Riots, Censorship and Offence, we had clear instructions to pick a 'liberal/pro freedom of speech' side, as well as a 'conservative/religious/anti freedom of speech' side. The following is a brief summary of the two stand-points of the debate.

Death is Nothing

Death is nothing. Discuss

The claim that ‘death is nothing’is a claim made by the pre-Socratic philosopher Epicurus in his Letter to Menoeceus.  He believed that man should rid all irrational fear of death, because after death there is nothing. This claim brings about several key questions; what is meant by death? Should we fear death? And is there life after death?

Meno's Paradox of Inquiry

How well does Socrates answer Meno’sParadox of Inquiry?

In tackling this question we will need to know three things; one, what is Meno’s paradox of inquiry; two, what Socrates believes to be a valid answer to this paradox, and thirdly, the validity of Socrates’ answer.

In discussing as to what virtue and excellence consist of, Meno comes to the conclusion that surely it is impossible to discuss the characteristics of a certain thing (in this case virtue/excellence), if we are ignorant as to what this thing actually is. Meno suggests that even if we come across the right answer in our inquiries, it is difficult to know whether that answer is the correct one, or not.

Recommended Articles

Recommended Articles

 Here are some great articles that I have read recently. They relate directly to several of my blog-posts, and thought it would be good to share them with you all. I've titled each link in relation to my articles. Enjoy, and let me know what you think. Here you are: