Coupled with the economic status of the US, it is no surprise (or excuse) that the processing of animals has come to what it has. The USDA has stepped in and enforced standards to minimize the mistreatment of these animals in question. But with the standard Supply and Demand Model, the low prices set for consumers to buy their product, and the opportunity to maximize profit (AKA: GREED), the concern for how the animals feel before they are killed is simply not a priority to producers OR consumers.
Is there a better way? According to kantians, "Act in such a way that you always treat humanity never simply as a mean, but always at the same time as an end." This is the Categorical Imperative II Kant endorses. In order to act morally toward animals, we have to respect the value that resides in them. Kant also argued that "animals are not rational beings and humans are, animals are only valued on how much they serve human purposes." This may also be the view of those in the processing and manufacturing of animal meat in the US. As a nation, I don't see much of a solution other than to stop the consumption of these products all together. If they are not consumed by the american people, they will be far less produced.
Since you've started reading this post, at least 200 people have died of starvation somewhere in the world. Every 3.6 seconds, someone dies of hunger. Malnutrition is implicated in more than half of all child deaths worldwide. These children don't know if or when they're going to eat again but we're concerned weather our chickens are "grain fed" and "free roaming". Really?
(In 2007, one investigator of a "free range" facility reported. Check it out: http://liberationbc.org/issues/organic)
“I personally don’t care whether the animal is treated properly or dies horribly as it lived. The fact that there is too many people and food has to be produced fast and cheap enough to feed us all, to me is the real problem. "
Now we just have some side effects due to the amount of people on earth and because of the demand we have to produce retarded chickens with problems that end up destroying our health..... In the future as the population growth increases, the problem of health due to the amount of animals they put together in small rooms, and all the chemicals they use on them will get worst. So what are you really worrying about here dude? Do you want to solve the problem now, prevent some millions from starving now and later let them die because of health problems related to the retarded meat you gave them to begin with, or find a good solution that will benefit us all-together in the long run? Sorry but the room and the amount of people isn't the problem because if you buy cheap food and put some money back in your pocket to then spend it in a hospital..... Then your solution is as deadly as the chemicals these people use on these animals day in and day out.
I agree with Peter Singer about the fact that we shouldn’t be doing to others what we wouldn’t do to ourselves. By others I mean anybody (a body can belong to an animal too) that is able to consciously suffer OR when there is a doubt that this person (as we saw in class, being human isn’t a necessary or sufficient condition for being a person) has the ability to suffer. Hereby I do not mean that you cannot kill a mosquito that bothers you all night because you can’t know if it feels pain...
But this has nothing to do with my point which is: treating animals like they do in factory farming is morally wrong. This is how I feel. Ok, great, but I think that my feelings about this are completely irrelevant, just like saying: “Why shouldn’t we mistreat animals, billions of people are starving to death every day, so I should eat whatever comes on my plate” is irrelevant. You are not helping those who are starving by doing this.
I believe that it is more effective to go further than your own beliefs and feelings about this subject. It is too easy to say: “it is morally wrong to abuse animals.” Or: “it is less expensive, so that’s why factory farming is good”…
According to me, factory farming is unethical because, first of all systems like these not only disrespect animal welfare but also the environment. Large amounts of chemical fertilizers and pesticides are used on the land grounds to feed all these animals. These chemicals can not only get into food, they also leach into the soil and pollute rivers, streams and groundwater. The waist that comes from the animals is often applied to or leaks onto the surrounding land, polluting groundwater and streams. Factory farms also cause air pollution, emitting foul odors, dust, small airborne particulates and numerous toxic chemicals.
Secondly, the spread of sick animals, which can be transferred to humans, is increased by factory farms’ overcrowded, confined, filthy conditions. Actually, the way that this ‘food’ is produced, may have played a role in the recent outbreak of swine flu. Factory farms of hogs, which keep thousands of animals in close quarters, allow disease to spread quickly from hog to hog before making the jump to humans.
My final point is that the few who are making real money are agribusiness corporations who receive huge subsidies that come out of your taxes, so you are paying for it anyways.
In Europe, animals are treated way better, the work conditions for the people are much more satisfactory, the meat tastes like meat and it is not that expensive (same price Americans pay for lower quality meat). If it works in Europe, why wouldn’t this be possible in the U.S?
Sandy Wells said…. “Factory farming is unethical.” According to Wikipedia, factory farming is the practice of raising farm animals in confinement at high stocking density, where a farm operates as a factory — a practice typical in industrial farming by agribusinesses. I believe that factory farming does not make a hug difference to me on how they treat animals because one way or another, they are going to die anyway, so let them die for a good cause. People in U.S. dies daily from starvation and we over here worrying about how the meat we eat is being treated before they die. On the other hand, we all should live a good life before we die but we all have a reason on this earth. We as humans need meat in a way to survive because it has nutrients; as animals they meant to die and be eaten by humans. If we stop eating meat then we wouldn’t get the nutrients that meat provides. In conclusion, Factory farming is unethical because it can bring numerous diseases, Pollution and animal cruelty. There is a lot of animal waste that isn’t being control the right way and the smell from the factory bothers the neighborhood. I think that animal cruelty is another form of slavery because factories mistreat these animals by having them confined one place and inject them with difference kinds of medicine. Finally, having numerous animals in a confinement can bring disease such as Swine Flu that could past on to the consumers which make us sick.
El gran problema del ser humano en defender los derechos de los animales, esta en que somos tan egoistas al punto de importarnos nada mas con nuestra misma especie, preferimos matar a todas las demas especies antes que perder unos de nosotros. Antes de empezar a construir este post, estuve conversando con diferentes personas para tratar de escuchar diferentes opiniones, pero lo lamentable es que las opiniones siempre coincidian: Tenemos cosas más importantes para preocuparnos que los derechos de los animales. Al parecer el hecho de que los animales sientan dolor es irrelevante, comparado con el hecho de que tengamos hambre y queramos comer algo barato y comodo. No es posible hacer del ser humano una especie vegetariana, pero es definitivamente posible una reforma en las leyes agriculturales. Segun el artículo nueve de la declaración universal de los derechos de los animalels, cuando un animal es criado para la alimentación debe ser nutrido, instalado y transportado, así como sacrificado, sin que de ello resulte para él motivo de ansiedad o dolor. Definitavamente en los Estados Unidos no estamos cumpliendo con esto. Yo estoy totalmente de acuerdo con que respetemos los animales, asi sean para fines de comercio o no, estos sienten dolor y merecen una vida digna antes de su muerte.
Animal rights can be taken into consideration as the rights that provide a treatment for them humanly. Usage of animals for cosmetics and pharmaceutical experiments, killing them for their fur especially when they are alive, hunting them for fun or entertainment, raising them in the animal sector with hormone shocking to get more and more animals (e.g. Kentucky Fried Chicken was blamed for this kind of a guilt); all these examples can be named under animal rights’ infringement. To protect animal rights Universal Declaration of Animal Rights was signed in 15 October 1978 in UNESCO, Paris. The most famous animal rights supporter is Peta, which is also known worldwide. They use celebrity to take attention or brutally criticize the celebrities who insist on wearing fur. Their most attractive manifest is saying rather I wear fur, I walk naked and they use nude photos of celebrity which makes them interesting and they get the point. Many organizations around the world are very opposite the merciless usage of these animals for experiments and for luxury segmented textile sector or for mass production especially for fast food sector. These kinds of activities not only harm the natural order of environment but also damage the ethical perspective to any other living creature on the world. As we human being breath, live, survive, all these animals have the exactly the same and equal rights with us so day by day reaction to these companies increase and people become more aware and supportive about human rights.
Animals that are eventually sold then killed for food are treated inhumanely. We first have to look at the regulations/laws that control these types of activities. We have to make sure that laws are enforced just like we have made sure that criminals pay for their crimes. We need to see and recognize that animal cruelty is a crime no matter how it justifies the end meaning (to feed humans or just a hobby). There are many organizations like the FFA that are already working on solutions, but the demand for food makes it hard to come to a conclusion that satisfy us all. There are those that see animals as properties and feel that animals don’t feel pain. "Singer suggested that pain is an observe behavior and Ludwig Wittgenstein argued, if someone is screaming, clutching a part of their body, moaning quietly, or apparently unable to function, especially when followed by an event that we believe would cause pain in ourselves, that is in large measure what it means to be in pain. Singer argues that there is no reason to suppose animal pain behavior would have a different meaning”. Supposedly what makes us different from animals is that we are logical, therefore we should not doubt that animals do feel pain. Thus, animals are a necessity for survival; the least we can do is treat them humane before we eat them.
Sandy it's not true that humans need meat to live. If that was the case, you would not have vegetarians. Next, people die of malnutrition not because there is not enough meat, but because there is too much poverty in the world. Get the facts right.
When people cause, or take part in the cruel treatment of animals, they often soothe their conscience with the argument that animals can't feel pain.This notion that makes no sense was given false credibility Descartes enlightened us with the view that non-human animals consist of mindless, unfeeling, instinctive reactions similar to machines. But this cannot be considered scientific any longer.
Scientists have conducted thousands of cruel experiments with animals in which they use pain-avoidance as a key behavior in the test subjects. If the idea that animals feel pain was unscientific, then why do scientists expect animals to avoid pain in their experiments? We know that animals have nerves and brains. We know that the purpose of nerves is to convey sensory stimuli to the brain. We know from our own bodies that nerves do feel pain and convey that message loud and clear to our brains. We even know what part of our brain registers pain. It is the thalamus: also called the "reptilian brain" because this very primitive part of the brain has not evolved since we were in the reptilian stage of our evolution. In other words: from humans on down to the lowest reptile, this part of the brain is the same. The point is that from humans on down the evolutionary scale at least as far as the reptiles, the experience of pain is the same. When an animal has evolved a central nervous system, it is there for a reason. The function of a central nervous system is to convey sensations, including pain. And pain serves a very useful function in any animal's survival.
If you lay your hand on a hot burner you might leave it there to suffer irreparable damage if it were not for the sensation of pain: which causes you to yank your hand away almost instantly. So too in nature, an animal would not survive long without the capacity to feel pain and so avoid what is harmful to their well being and continued existence.
In Conclusion, animals experience pain just as we do. We should pause and reanalyze our treatment of animals, just as we did with woman's rights and slavery.
Throughout human history, there have been many cases of cruelty against our own specie. The reasons can be explained in different terms: racism, ideals, land, religion, conflict of ideas, you can call it just even power, but the truth is that the main reason behind all those aspects end up being MONEY. If any of our capitalists societies is able to kill and make suffer another human being for oil, the achievement of the independence of a country, or the construction of a new road or channel that would be a source of money, why would any of this societies care about chickens or other animals? Capitalism is blowing everyone minds. Those entities that are over loading the animals with hormones are obviously completely possessed by de the dollar sign ($). Personally I buy organic food, but also to be honest I have been doing it more because of the secondary effects of the chemicals in our bodies in the long run than for the treatment that the animals receive. It might sound very selfish but I guess it is also a lack of contact with the situation. Ten minutes ago looking for some info to write this post, I looked for videos showing this insane process, and I found it just denigrated. I completely change my mind. Now my secondary effects are at the same level of the of my interest of not being part of this process. It is ridiculous that to get some dollars (that are many dollars) in to some pockets (that are just a few), we as human beings let these happen. I think there should be more campaigns transmitting those videos through our daily media. It might help.
I have a question for the second quiz… In support of animalism, Eric Olson offers the thought experiment ‘The Vegetables Case’ (p.256) to demonstrate that as long as your body lives, you live. Later on, Olson offers ‘The Transplant Case’ which actually says that you can survive a body switch (by switching brains). What is Olson now? He can’t claim being an animalist and believe that the person whose brain is transplanted into another body is the person with the brain… 1. So is Olson an animalist? 2. Is ‘The transplant case’ a counter example to animalism? Thanks.
I have a question for the second quiz… In support of animalism, Eric Olson offers the thought experiment ‘The Vegetables Case’ (p.256) to demonstrate that as long as your body lives, you live. Later on, Olson offers ‘The Transplant Case’ which actually says that you can survive a body switch (by switching brains). What is Olson now? He can’t claim being an animalist and believe that the person whose brain is transplanted into another body is the person with the brain… 1. So is Olson an animalist? 2. Is ‘The transplant case’ a counter example to animalism? Thanks.
Agaia, Olson is a sort of animalist, he believes in BAPI, or Biological Account of Personal Identity. Don't worry about it, it gets too complex for our actual purpose of study.
In my opinion, the ideas of ‘speciesism” and human supremacy of animals is the result of lack of moral judgment and intelligence. Although I am in favor of scientific research with the use of animals, I am opposed to the concept of cruel and inhumane treatment to those animals we consume for food. Regardless of the fact that animals can’t express their pain in words, it is evident that they feel pain just as we do. However let us face the facts, we have been arguing this concept for many years and although some progress has been made, we are still far along from our goals. With the nation and its economic status, the idea of animal rights is second plate to most people. Although, we are more advanced than any other creature on this Earth, we cannot forget that certain of our abilities come in second place compared to those of some animals. Though I am not in total agreement with David Sztybel and the idea that animal treatment can be compared to the holocaust, the removal of beaks, injections of hormones, and space confinements that we practice on these animals can be compared to those events which took place. Hopefully as more and more evidence begins to emerge, our nation can move towards a more humane way of treating these animals.
I agree with animal rights: I believe that animals contribute a significant role on planet earth, and should be given more consideration for their well-being. Every year the bees pollinate the flowers and the ground hog inform us of the winter. So it is propaganda to say animals serve no purpose. By neglecting these animals in insufficient living conditions cause detriment to us consumers. Just imagine raising a sick animal (that has been imprisoned and tortured most of its life) then eating it. As Ludwig wrote in his 1863 essay “man is what he eats”. Due to animal cruelty diseases such as swine flu and obesity is increasing human death tolls. Major cattle industries such as KFC and McDonalds could be the blame for their support in sterilizing and the cloning of animals for profit. I believe these major companies are turning America into a utilitarian society; disregarding religion and the laws of nature, for moral selfishness. In order to stop animal cruelty I suppose we farm our own cattle or become vegetarians. This will save victimized animals in addition is a more sanitized way to live.
I know my comment may sound a bit selfish, but I can really care less if animals have a suitable life style before they die at the end of the day they still die. The reality is that the consumer needs food and producers are willing to produce fast and cheap food to keep their customers happy. I do not see where the problem occurs regardless of how they have been tried they are going to die. People in the U.S. die everyday and if we were to stop processing food the way we do know more people would be dying of starvation. On the other hand, we all should try and live a good life before we die, but we all have a purpose on earth. We as humans need meat to receive our daily nutrition requirement that meats provides to us. If we stop producing the way we do the producers won’t be able to meet the demands of the people.+
Animals have been around for quite some time and most of them have been treated poorly, namely the animals that most of us enjoy eating. The abuse of most animals is not just limited to turning them into food, but also the other activities we use them for as Sercan pointed out, such as killing them for their fur and for just plain entertainment (e.g. hunting as a sport). They have a right to live as much as we, humans, do. Just because w may be superior to them and have a more advanced form of communication and way of living doesn’t make us better than those animals. As Peter Singer stated that we may never know whether an animal is suffering or not since they don’t have our form of language. I think that they do have their own form of language though and with that, they can communicate amongst their own species, it’s just that us humans are too ignorant on whether they feel pain or not, we are more concerned on whether they will make a delicious meal or not, whether their fur will be warm enough for us to wear, or whether they will make a formidable house ornament to hang. I just think the whole idea of mistreating animals is wrong, sure there is nothing one can do about it, I know I can’t.
When it comes to animals and whatever rights they don't have, I have a simple outlook on what I do and don't agree with. I'm not for the animal cruelty in reference to the food industry, but all for animal testing for when it comes to medical experimentation. I believe that when it comes to our food and were it comes from, it is an important subject. The animals that are abused daily is unnecessary. I do not mind spending the extra money if i know no animals are harmed. I am not rich, far from it, but i do not believe we need to hurt the animals. I am not going to say that we cannot eat them, I love my beef but I do not want it stuffed with preservatives and antibiotics that my body does not need. When it comes to medical care, I believe that we need to do everything that we can to find cures for diseases. If that means that we have to do experiments on animals to find the cure for cancer, or AIDS or even diabetes then so be it. I do believe in survival of the fittest and we are on top of the food chain. Of course I would like the suffering to be at a minimum but what ever needs to be done should be done.
Good Day, I am for animal rights and believe that animals deserve to have an experience to living on earth freely before being killed and be able to also contribute more. I find it to be kind of unfair that animals are being killed constantly for food or for the use of their skin (clothing). Everyday an animal is being killed because the lack of food in many countries. It is very risky that we humans eat animals because certain animals may not be cleaned properly or could also carry a disease that may possibly affect our health. There has been many people that suffered from animal meat and died because of it. Diseases from these animals can even spread from one person to the next.
Also, I am against animals that are being abused and think that all animals deserves to be treated better. In my opinion, I believe that animals shouldn't be injected with all sorts of different chemicals and really don't see the reason why that they are put through that. The chemicals that are being put in these animals, we are consuming them. That's why it's important that we are careful with what meat we are eating and buying too. Many fast food places are serving these meats with tons of grease and chemicals that are added. It seems like we take advantage of animals because they are not like us and don't have a say in things. I remember watching a cow and a chicken being killed live and it was very much uncomforatble.
In the same way as Tom Regan argues, I believe that animals have rights and should be treated with dignity. We posses cognitive abilities and so do they, not at the same level, but they do; therefore, they also have a right to live, grow and develop as “subjects-of-a-life”. Only humans are stupid enough to compare themselves with animals and think that if animals don’t cry or moan, it means that they don’t feel pain. As it has been discussed, Animal Farming is an answer to human overpopulation and it fills in our hunger and nutrition gap. I understand that we need to eat and that it’s necessary to have an adequate nutrition. However, is this (Animal Farming) the only way? Aren’t we choosing the most comfortable path as we step on Animal Rights? I believe so. Unfortunately, I can’t come up with any BIG suggestion to replace the gap filled by Animal Farming, I can only think about vegetarianism. It all seems wrong, millions of animals are growing in ridiculous small spaces; they are fed with artificial nutrients and are finally killed shortly after grown up. As a consequence we are “developing” as an unhealthy society, hypocritically giving our back to those beings who have accompanied us since we evolved. I just remember when I was small, going on rides to the country and seeing those cows, baby sheep, baby pigs and feeling so happy because of there existence. I can’t just forget about them and become comfortable with the way the “system” works. I feel everyone should at least give vegetarianism a shot. I can’t be hypocritical and say that I am a vegetarian but at least I try to buy organic food, which means it doesn’t come from these cruel “Animal Farms”. Maybe in 500 years, people will look back to our society and feel ashamed for eating animals, the same way we feel ashamed for burning supposed witches 500 years ago.
The reality is that the consumer needs food and producers are willing to produce fast and cheap food to keep their customers happy.
Your argument is as simple as it can be: We need food. Keep people happy. Produce fast.
On the other hand, we all should try and live a good life before we die, but we all have a purpose on earth.
Good life for "us humans". But what is "good life" when that life does not even contemplates the possibility of unnecessary suffering of sentient animals?
I agree with what many have said. We all die and we deserve to have a descent life before we leave this world. Just like we express feelings when we see a stranger brake his leg we should feel the same for all the animals that are mistreated daily in factories and even at homes. Animal cruelty is a very important subject that in my opinion should affect and worry everyone. Just like human beings animals have feelings too. And they are being exploited by us. These animals do not deserve to be under constant stress and at risk of many diseases; Diseases that end up affecting us as well. Being cheap is not going to help change or better the world. On the other hand taking our time and spending our money the right way will help and profit more than what is being done. These poor animals are being kept in small spaces their entire life’s, given hormones to grow faster than normal and some are fed the left over’s of the other animals being killed. The animals are transferring diseases all day throughout each other. In conclusion we should revise and try to realize that animal cruelty must be stopped just as we want to stop global warming and hunger. It is not about liking or disliking meat is about animals that have helped us since the start of civilization survive in every way.
I agree with what many have said. We all die and we deserve to have a descent life before we leave this world. Just like we express feelings when we see a stranger brake his leg we should feel the same for all the animals that are mistreated daily in factories and even at homes. Animal cruelty is a very important subject that in my opinion should affect and worry everyone. Just like human beings animals have feelings too. And they are being exploited by us. These animals do not deserve to be under constant stress and at risk of many diseases; Diseases that end up affecting us as well. Being cheap is not going to help change or better the world. On the other hand taking our time and spending our money the right way will help and profit more than what is being done. These poor animals are being kept in small spaces their entire life’s, given hormones to grow faster than normal and some are fed the left over’s of the other animals being killed. The animals are transferring diseases all day throughout each other. In conclusion we should revise and try to realize that animal cruelty must be stopped just as we want to stop global warming and hunger. It is not about liking or disliking meat is about animals that have helped us since the start of civilization survive in every way.
Factory farming is wrong. Why should we kill animals and cause them to suffer for our enjoyment. Even though i am a meat eater, I always have in the back of my mind the cruelty they have to go through for me to have a plate for dinner.I know that i would use another way of eating if the alternative ways were not so expensive. I believe this is the reason why many American eat meat it is much cheaper. And with all the fast food chains its more convient.It is bogus to believe that animals are not important and don't have any feelings. Animals live in our homes, make us happy, and are even treated like a family member. Trying to prove animals right will be a difficult task and may just get brushed off. Like peter singer stated they have no language and is impossible to know when there suffering. So therefore we have to have a voice for them and take a stand. Hopefully animals rights will be taken into consideration and something is done to save them from suffering.
LOS DERECHOS DE LOS ANIMALES Si partimos de una de las definiciones de derecho, la del “derecho subjetivo” que lo refiere como “la facultad que tiene un sujeto para ejecutar determinada conducta o abstenerse de ella, o para exigir de otro sujeto el cumplimiento de su deber (1), creo que no viene al caso hablar de derechos de los animales porque ellos nunca podrían hacerlos cumplir, ni defenderlos, tiene que ser por intermedio del hombre. Con base en lo anterior plantearé mi posición con base en el respeto que merece todo ser vivo, categoría en la que incluyo, seres humanos, animales e inclusive las plantas; cada una de estas especies tiene una función en la naturaleza y por ello el hombre, como ser superior, por su inteligencia y capacidad de pensar tiene el deber de conservarlos adecuadamente y luchar por la perpetuación de su especie Me aparto del hinduismo y del budismo, corrientes que prohíben el sacrificio de los animales y me adhiero al islamismo al considerar que los animales pueden ser sacrificados para la alimentación del hombre, para su beneficio; pero en arras del respeto por ese ser vivo que siente dolor y que sufre, pienso que su sacrificio debe ser inmediato, sin tiranía, ni crueldad Más que derechos de los animales, considero, son deberes de los hombres, que al utilizarlos en cualquier campo, como animales domésticos, como mascotas o a nivel industrial, como mercancía, garanticen que mientras estén vivos y bajo su cuidado, los tengan en condiciones dignas, sin hambre, con salud y sin sufrimiento. Para finalizar, pienso que el problema no es establecer o defender unos derechos. El verdadero problema es moral. La mejor forma de defender el desarrollo natural de los seres que nos rodean, incluyendo nuestros pares humanos, es desarrollando en sociedad un marco de principios morales coherentes con nuestra condicion de seres humanos, con el conocimiento de que tenemos multiples necesidades y habitamos un espacio con recursos escazos. .wikipedia.org/wiki/Derecho. Consultado el 1 de mes 11 de 2009 Martha Perez
Rosemary Blaz “They can see, hear, and touch, but they are not, in any sense, conscious, and are unable to suffer or even to feel pain.” René Descartes (1596–1650). I don’t know about you, but when ever someone accidentally steps on my dog’s tail, he yelps as if he was in pain. I personally am the type of person that does care about animals and how they are treated, but I am also someone that loves to eat and sometimes blind myself to what is done to the animals that I am consuming. In my opinion animals should have rights in this country. The United State has become so engulfed in the quantity of what we eat, that everything is disregarded as long as the right amount of cattle, chicken, or pork is being shipped out by the end of the week. What I don’t understand is that if Europe can have laws to protect their animals, why the United States can’t do the same. Whenever I see videos of how animals are treated and hear about what they put them through it saddens me. What troubles me more is that because I am a student living on her own, with two jobs and not many resources, I lack choices when it comes to purchasing food. I look for things that are cheap but good regardless of the process in which it went through to get to my plate. I know it sounds bad but I’m sorry to say that it’s true. So what I’m trying to say is that I’m all for Animal Rights and all its aspects, as long as it doesn’t cost me an arm and a leg to get a hamburger when I’m hungry.
In life there are choices we all decide to make. The choice is either right or wrong. I feel that the choice factory farmers decided to take, with their methods are wrong. Animals, like humans, have feelings and have the right to life as all other persons. However, the only thing that these factory farmers are concerned with is making as much money, as quick as possible. The lives of animals such as cows, chickens and pigs, come second to production. Chickens, for example, are subject to de-beaking, an excruciating procedure, where the beak of a chicken is cut off. This allows more room for jamming these helpless creatures together, in a tight cage. I feel that this mistreatment is immoral and inhumane. I understand that many animals serve as the daily calorie intake for Americans, but that doesn’t mean they must be demeaned and made insignificant. A more dignified way of killing these animals is always a possible and a more favorable approach.
I use to call myself a hypocrite because I am one to stand for the rights of animals (of all living beings), however I eat them. I was of course much younger and perhaps did give into a bit of peer pressure due to the fact that two of my very good friends in high school were vegan and vegetarian. I do however respect and am very open minded of different cultures and am in love with food and most enjoy being in the kitchen. Thus, there are so, so, so many different foods that I have yet to taste and experience that include meat or any other bits of animal products. I briefly lived as a vegetarian for one full summer only eating seafood (I had to have some kind of iron my mother told me), until one day I was craving buffalo chicken wings. That then expanded to only eating seafood and chicken and no red meats. However that didn't last long either until I came to my realization earlier mentioned. Nevertheless I refuse to step foot in certain fast food joints because I do not support as to where their food came from whatsoever. I love animals, and as said I stand strongly and have utmost respect for the animal race, and therefore am absolutely against animal cruelty and the treatment of their lives when it comes to factory farming. Determining whether something is right and/or wrong is hard to say because everyone is entitled to their own opinion. However to have it be okay to fit 12-15 chickens in a cage that should safely fit only 4 is unethical and utterly unfair, just to produce more food and more money, and simply because the human race feels that such beings do not have a voice. Fine there are those that are dying of starvation every 3-5 seconds and those that can’t afford certain foods that are “organic” perhaps, and we should be putting our energy and efforts to helping those in such circumstances. I still find it, in my opinion wrong.
I definitely believe that farm animals deserve a minimum standard of cleanliness and space, and that animals should not suffer needlessly. They are handled as units of production, rather than living, breathing creatures. It is true that nowadays, a lot of people are suffering because there is not enough food. However, that has nothing to do with factory farming, which has become increasingly industrialized. This mechanized approach ignores animals’ needs, which often sacrifices their health and wellbeing in the name of higher profits. I don’t think confining animals indoors, as closely together as possible, rather than letting them roam and graze on pasture, is someway healthy or the right thing to do; especially because we consume these products later. Therefore, I believe that we should take a look at the means of production and what it means; not only for the animals but what it speaks about us in society. We should, in my opinion hold importance to the rights and liberties of the animals and nurture the growth and breeding in a natural manner, not in a mechanized version based solely on mass production and high profits. The reprecautions for factory farming don’t lead to pure profit: there are pitfalls such as spread of disease, poor products, and high early mortality rates. The waste of product is not a simple loss of a chair or a table due to wear and tear. These are real living beings that can feel pain and breath air. The way in how we treat life measures how we treat and value nature and that must not be forgotten because it provides us with life as well. I am not saying the role of animal production is not needed and will not be profitable I am stating that i believe the life of animals and the means in which we treat food production must be respected for what it is and what it will mean for us and future generations as we strive to advance our lifestyle and society.
Peter Singer suggests that pain behavior can be observed and that it manifests through screaming, moaning, clutching, and inability to react after an event that would cause pain. Furthermore, he argues that “there is no reason to suppose animal pain behavior would have a different meaning.” From this perspective, I agree with Singer’s statement. We know that animals have a nervous system as humans do and that they have nerves and a brain as humans have. Therefore, nerves’ role is to transport sensory stimuli to the brain. So, animals are able to feel pain when slaughtered, pumped with hormones and hold “captives” being unable to move. That is how most of our piece of meat on our tables is treated and many of us are fine with it as long as the meat is there to eat. It is cruel from us, humans, and I cannot but think of the fallowing idea of Singer “To animals, all humans are Nazi.”
Animal rights are a touchy subject, especially for me. I love animals more than human beings sometimes. I entirely agree with Peter Singer’s belief that animals feel pain. I have never had a piece of red meat in my entire life. When I was a child I was freaked out by the fact that red meat reminded me of blood. I am also right there with Utilitarianism and think it is morally wrong to take a life; whether human or animal. I am extremely happy with my choice to be a lacto-ovo vegetarian. I have always valued animals since as far back as I can recall. There is no way that someone can argue that there is no proof that animals feel pain as we do. Dogs will screech if you accidentally step on their paw. Whales can also sense when they are being hunted; they will panic and swim as fast as they can. It is a shame that the world has become the way that it is today. The whole food industry is driven by money and greed. Farming techniques are sub-par to say the least. I am an active member of PETA and I see how just how little people value the lives of animals. People will have a frog in a small cube as a decoration for their desk. I wonder if people would be willing to live in the overcrowded, unsanitary conditions these animals live in on factory farms. The animals have to deal with fear, pain and suffering. I understand that things cannot turn around overnight. But, if the conditions can be improved and it can be enforced that labels are actually truthful then the animals could AT LEAST live a better life before they have to die then things would be so much better. I am Jewish and part of my family eats Kosher. The meat that is Kosher is trapped and ritually slaughtered. The slaughter is done by a trained individual and avoids unnecessary pain to the animal. I don’t understand why this method cannot be used more widely. Hopefully things will change after all the controversy and media attention that animal rights are getting.
Aveces el ser humano se vuelve cruel y pierde ese sentido humanitario para con los seres vivos como por ejemplo los animales. Creo que muy pocas personas realmente se preocupan por como son tratados los animales o el proceso al que son sometidos antes de morir, solamente les interesa comerce un pedaso de carne. Tambien creo que son pocas las personas vejetarianas que toman la decision de serlo por causa de los animales, diria que la mayoria lo hace porque no le gusta la carne o una dieta. Seria un poco dificil o casi imposible que todos nos convirtieramos en vejetarianos pero lo que si es posible que se mejore el trato a los animales y se respeten las leyes sobre sus derechos. Ademas de que estos reciban un trato digno porque a pesar de no tener un lenguaje como el nuestro tambien sufren y sienten el dolor.
The treatment of animals while they are alive is very disturbing. I understand that animals are killed in a quick and painful way, but that should not be a reason for the animals to be treated so badly. I honestly do not think that the demand of food has anything to do with the treatment of animals. In Europe, animals are treated in the most natural way and food is an abundance. We do not need to blame the demand of food on the way that animals are treated. What we need to do is have stricter laws on animal rights, and our needs will be met quickly without having the knowledge that we are eating a tortured animal. Not only will our food production be a lot less disturbing but it will be healthier for us because we will not have to consume all of the chemicals and hormones stuffed into these animals.
I agree with the point Triff made in class. It’s hard to understand why people would even question whether animals have rights or feel pain, it seems so obvious.
We should not do to animals what we would not want to happen to ourselves. The way we abuse animals in factory farming is an externalization of the state of consciousness we have today as human beings. It is a clear example of the extent people will go to make a profit. The demand for animal products is what enables these businesses to continue. Unfortunately, most people don’t care about this issue or worse, feel that is not important. They are completely ignorant of the consequences they are producing. They think that this is not their problem and that it doesn’t affect them, when in fact, it affects their health directly. Knowing that every time you consume meat you are ingesting antibiotics, hormones, and harmful toxins. It turns out that these individuals who seem to not care about the well being of animals, ultimately, care even less about themselves. Valeria Muntaner
Do animals whose very purpose of their existence is to be killed and sold (farm raised animals) deserve to be treated with some kind of justice and dignity? My answer to this question is yes. Like we have spoken about in class animals are persons for god sake us humans are animals. To say that animals do not deserve fair living conditions is ignorant and inhuman. The processing of animals is what it is today simply because of greed. I am not saying don’t kill the animal I’m saying treat it with respect while they are alive for they serve a great purpose, too feed us. How can you treat something with such an important role to the world so cruelly? I mean that’s almost like treating doctors like the scum of the earth when you think about it. They are here for our benefit the least we can do is treat them how they deserve to be treated. I do recognize the efforts of certain organizations that are helping change and regulate laws. I also realize that it is hard to do so with the high demand of animal products, but more has to be done to correct this issue. I think that most people in the farming / processing industries should be more morally conscious and make the extra effort to make sure that the animals they are raising and killing for consumption are treated with fair rights and taken care of properly.
Animals and human beings can differ in many aspects; however, both remain to have feelings without having to express it through language. As Peter Singer says, “…there is no reason to suppose animal pain behavior would have a different meaning”. Just because we have a brain to think logically with, doesn’t necessarily give us the right to treat any animals with such disrespect. Animals deserve the same rights that are given to humans, through common sense. Animals don’t deserve how brutally they are often abused, specifically in order to obtain food and clothing; which are parts of people’s lives that could find other solutions other than sacrificing innocent animals for. For example, no one would agree with being shipped from the state of Georgia to Florida to be slaughtered and used for consumption, as they might be shoved with eight other friends in a 3 by 4 wooden crate. It allows just enough space to have the human necessities right on that spot and whenever needed, which would certainly be very unpleasant. Since we have been privileged to use a brain that helps us make decisions, the correct ones should be made and give those other animals the freedom to live a comfortable life before their usual distasteful death.
Ethics vary from region to region and from culture to culture. In this sense "ethical treatment" is a very subjective topic. Yet, even though that ethics may be subjective, certain acts, behaviors, or actions are universally recognized as right or wrong. The way some of these animals are treated are just simply criminal. Where these people we were talking about living in these conditions there would be enormous amounts of activists and protests globally.
The fact remains that we use these animals for consumption and will probably continue to do so for a long time. But the conditions they are held in shoud undoubedly be improved.
47 comments:
Coupled with the economic status of the US, it is no surprise (or excuse) that the processing of animals has come to what it has. The USDA has stepped in and enforced standards to minimize the mistreatment of these animals in question. But with the standard Supply and Demand Model, the low prices set for consumers to buy their product, and the opportunity to maximize profit (AKA: GREED), the concern for how the animals feel before they are killed is simply not a priority to producers OR consumers.
Is there a better way? According to kantians, "Act in such a way that you always treat humanity never simply as a mean, but always at the same time as an end." This is the Categorical Imperative II Kant endorses. In order to act morally toward animals, we have to respect the value that resides in them. Kant also argued that "animals are not rational beings and humans are, animals are only valued on how much they serve human purposes." This may also be the view of those in the processing and manufacturing of animal meat in the US. As a nation, I don't see much of a solution other than to stop the consumption of these products all together. If they are not consumed by the american people, they will be far less produced.
Since you've started reading this post, at least 200 people have died of starvation somewhere in the world. Every 3.6 seconds, someone dies of hunger. Malnutrition is implicated in more than half of all child deaths worldwide. These children don't know if or when they're going to eat again but we're concerned weather our chickens are "grain fed" and "free roaming". Really?
(In 2007, one investigator of a "free range" facility reported. Check it out: http://liberationbc.org/issues/organic)
SVanac, thanks, but what is your name? Please, sign your name at the bottom.
Descartes nor Kant have the best scientific info back in the late 18th Century. However, Singer's argument is not about reason, but about sentience.
"Had the best scientific info." My bad.
At Miguel:
“I personally don’t care whether the animal is treated properly or dies horribly as it lived. The fact that there is too many people and food has to be produced fast and cheap enough to feed us all, to me is the real problem. "
Now we just have some side effects due to the amount of people on earth and because of the demand we have to produce retarded chickens with problems that end up destroying our health..... In the future as the population growth increases, the problem of health due to the amount of animals they put together in small rooms, and all the chemicals they use on them will get worst. So what are you really worrying about here dude? Do you want to solve the problem now, prevent some millions from starving now and later let them die because of health problems related to the retarded meat you gave them to begin with, or find a good solution that will benefit us all-together in the long run? Sorry but the room and the amount of people isn't the problem because if you buy cheap food and put some money back in your pocket to then spend it in a hospital..... Then your solution is as deadly as the chemicals these people use on these animals day in and day out.
I agree with Peter Singer about the fact that we shouldn’t be doing to others what we wouldn’t do to ourselves.
By others I mean anybody (a body can belong to an animal too) that is able to consciously suffer OR when there is a doubt that this person (as we saw in class, being human isn’t a necessary or sufficient condition for being a person) has the ability to suffer.
Hereby I do not mean that you cannot kill a mosquito that bothers you all night because you can’t know if it feels pain...
But this has nothing to do with my point which is: treating animals like they do in factory farming is morally wrong. This is how I feel. Ok, great, but I think that my feelings about this are completely irrelevant, just like saying: “Why shouldn’t we mistreat animals, billions of people are starving to death every day, so I should eat whatever comes on my plate” is irrelevant. You are not helping those who are starving by doing this.
I believe that it is more effective to go further than your own beliefs and feelings about this subject. It is too easy to say: “it is morally wrong to abuse animals.” Or: “it is less expensive, so that’s why factory farming is good”…
According to me, factory farming is unethical because, first of all systems like these not only disrespect animal welfare but also the environment. Large amounts of chemical fertilizers and pesticides are used on the land grounds to feed all these animals. These chemicals can not only get into food, they also leach into the soil and pollute rivers, streams and groundwater. The waist that comes from the animals is often applied to or leaks onto the surrounding land, polluting groundwater and streams. Factory farms also cause air pollution, emitting foul odors, dust, small airborne particulates and numerous toxic chemicals.
Secondly, the spread of sick animals, which can be transferred to humans, is increased by factory farms’ overcrowded, confined, filthy conditions. Actually, the way that this ‘food’ is produced, may have played a role in the recent outbreak of swine flu. Factory farms of hogs, which keep thousands of animals in close quarters, allow disease to spread quickly from hog to hog before making the jump to humans.
My final point is that the few who are making real money are agribusiness corporations who receive huge subsidies that come out of your taxes, so you are paying for it anyways.
In Europe, animals are treated way better, the work conditions for the people are much more satisfactory, the meat tastes like meat and it is not that expensive (same price Americans pay for lower quality meat). If it works in Europe, why wouldn’t this be possible in the U.S?
SVanac is Susan Vanac.
Sandy Wells said….
“Factory farming is unethical.”
According to Wikipedia, factory farming is the practice of raising farm animals in confinement at high stocking density, where a farm operates as a factory — a practice typical in industrial farming by agribusinesses.
I believe that factory farming does not make a hug difference to me on how they treat animals because one way or another, they are going to die anyway, so let them die for a good cause. People in U.S. dies daily from starvation and we over here worrying about how the meat we eat is being treated before they die. On the other hand, we all should live a good life before we die but we all have a reason on this earth. We as humans need meat in a way to survive because it has nutrients; as animals they meant to die and be eaten by humans. If we stop eating meat then we wouldn’t get the nutrients that meat provides.
In conclusion, Factory farming is unethical because it can bring numerous diseases, Pollution and animal cruelty. There is a lot of animal waste that isn’t being control the right way and the smell from the factory bothers the neighborhood. I think that animal cruelty is another form of slavery because factories mistreat these animals by having them confined one place and inject them with difference kinds of medicine. Finally, having numerous animals in a confinement can bring disease such as Swine Flu that could past on to the consumers which make us sick.
El gran problema del ser humano en defender los derechos de los animales, esta en que somos tan egoistas al punto de importarnos nada mas con nuestra misma especie, preferimos matar a todas las demas especies antes que perder unos de nosotros. Antes de empezar a construir este post, estuve conversando con diferentes personas para tratar de escuchar diferentes opiniones, pero lo lamentable es que las opiniones siempre coincidian: Tenemos cosas más importantes para preocuparnos que los derechos de los animales.
Al parecer el hecho de que los animales sientan dolor es irrelevante, comparado con el hecho de que tengamos hambre y queramos comer algo barato y comodo.
No es posible hacer del ser humano una especie vegetariana, pero es definitivamente posible una reforma en las leyes agriculturales. Segun el artículo nueve de la declaración universal de los derechos de los animalels, cuando un animal es criado para la alimentación debe ser nutrido, instalado y transportado, así como sacrificado, sin que de ello resulte para él motivo de ansiedad o dolor. Definitavamente en los Estados Unidos no estamos cumpliendo con esto. Yo estoy totalmente de acuerdo con que respetemos los animales, asi sean para fines de comercio o no, estos sienten dolor y merecen una vida digna antes de su muerte.
Alice Milagre
Animal rights can be taken into consideration as the rights that provide a treatment for them humanly. Usage of animals for cosmetics and pharmaceutical experiments, killing them for their fur especially when they are alive, hunting them for fun or entertainment, raising them in the animal sector with hormone shocking to get more and more animals (e.g. Kentucky Fried Chicken was blamed for this kind of a guilt); all these examples can be named under animal rights’ infringement.
To protect animal rights Universal Declaration of Animal Rights was signed in 15 October 1978 in UNESCO, Paris. The most famous animal rights supporter is Peta, which is also known worldwide. They use celebrity to take attention or brutally criticize the celebrities who insist on wearing fur. Their most attractive manifest is saying rather I wear fur, I walk naked and they use nude photos of celebrity which makes them interesting and they get the point.
Many organizations around the world are very opposite the merciless usage of these animals for experiments and for luxury segmented textile sector or for mass production especially for fast food sector. These kinds of activities not only harm the natural order of environment but also damage the ethical perspective to any other living creature on the world. As we human being breath, live, survive, all these animals have the exactly the same and equal rights with us so day by day reaction to these companies increase and people become more aware and supportive about human rights.
hi,
Animals that are eventually sold then killed for food are treated inhumanely. We first have to look at the regulations/laws that control these types of activities. We have to make sure that laws are enforced just like we have made sure that criminals pay for their crimes. We need to see and recognize that animal cruelty is a crime no matter how it justifies the end meaning (to feed humans or just a hobby). There are many organizations like the FFA that are already working on solutions, but the demand for food makes it hard to come to a conclusion that satisfy us all. There are those that see animals as properties and feel that animals don’t feel pain. "Singer suggested that pain is an observe behavior and Ludwig Wittgenstein argued, if someone is screaming, clutching a part of their body, moaning quietly, or apparently unable to function, especially when followed by an event that we believe would cause pain in ourselves, that is in large measure what it means to be in pain. Singer argues that there is no reason to suppose animal pain behavior would have a different meaning”. Supposedly what makes us different from animals is that we are logical, therefore we should not doubt that animals do feel pain. Thus, animals are a necessity for survival; the least we can do is treat them humane before we eat them.
Sandy it's not true that humans need meat to live. If that was the case, you would not have vegetarians. Next, people die of malnutrition not because there is not enough meat, but because there is too much poverty in the world. Get the facts right.
Who is SO?
Sercan Oygut
When people cause, or take part in the cruel treatment of animals, they often soothe their conscience with the argument that animals can't feel pain.This notion that makes no sense was given false credibility Descartes enlightened us with the view that non-human animals consist of mindless, unfeeling, instinctive reactions similar to machines. But this cannot be considered scientific any longer.
Scientists have conducted thousands of cruel experiments with animals in which they use pain-avoidance as a key behavior in the test subjects. If the idea that animals feel pain was unscientific, then why do scientists expect animals to avoid pain in their experiments? We know that animals have nerves and brains.
We know that the purpose of nerves is to convey sensory stimuli to the brain. We know from our own bodies that nerves do feel pain and convey that message loud and clear to our brains.
We even know what part of our brain registers pain. It is the thalamus: also called the "reptilian brain" because this very primitive part of the brain has not evolved since we were in the reptilian stage of our evolution.
In other words: from humans on down to the lowest reptile, this part of the brain is the same.
The point is that from humans on down the evolutionary scale at least as far as the reptiles, the experience of pain is the same.
When an animal has evolved a central nervous system, it is there for a reason. The function of a central nervous system is to convey sensations, including pain. And pain serves a very useful function in any animal's survival.
If you lay your hand on a hot burner you might leave it there to suffer irreparable damage if it were not for the sensation of pain: which causes you to yank your hand away almost instantly. So too in nature, an animal would not survive long without the capacity to feel pain and so avoid what is harmful to their well being and continued existence.
In Conclusion, animals experience pain just as we do. We should pause and reanalyze our treatment of animals, just as we did with woman's rights and slavery.
Throughout human history, there have been many cases of cruelty against our own specie. The reasons can be explained in different terms: racism, ideals, land, religion, conflict of ideas, you can call it just even power, but the truth is that the main reason behind all those aspects end up being MONEY.
If any of our capitalists societies is able to kill and make suffer another human being for oil, the achievement of the independence of a country, or the construction of a new road or channel that would be a source of money, why would any of this societies care about chickens or other animals? Capitalism is blowing everyone minds. Those entities that are over loading the animals with hormones are obviously completely possessed by de the dollar sign ($).
Personally I buy organic food, but also to be honest I have been doing it more because of the secondary effects of the chemicals in our bodies in the long run than for the treatment that the animals receive. It might sound very selfish but I guess it is also a lack of contact with the situation. Ten minutes ago looking for some info to write this post, I looked for videos showing this insane process, and I found it just denigrated. I completely change my mind. Now my secondary effects are at the same level of the of my interest of not being part of this process.
It is ridiculous that to get some dollars (that are many dollars) in to some pockets (that are just a few), we as human beings let these happen. I think there should be more campaigns transmitting those videos through our daily media. It might help.
sebastian velleman
Hi professor Triff,
I have a question for the second quiz… In support of animalism, Eric Olson offers the thought experiment ‘The Vegetables Case’ (p.256) to demonstrate that as long as your body lives, you live. Later on, Olson offers ‘The Transplant Case’ which actually says that you can survive a body switch (by switching brains). What is Olson now? He can’t claim being an animalist and believe that the person whose brain is transplanted into another body is the person with the brain…
1. So is Olson an animalist?
2. Is ‘The transplant case’ a counter example to animalism?
Thanks.
Agaia Trottier
Hi professor Triff,
I have a question for the second quiz… In support of animalism, Eric Olson offers the thought experiment ‘The Vegetables Case’ (p.256) to demonstrate that as long as your body lives, you live. Later on, Olson offers ‘The Transplant Case’ which actually says that you can survive a body switch (by switching brains). What is Olson now? He can’t claim being an animalist and believe that the person whose brain is transplanted into another body is the person with the brain…
1. So is Olson an animalist?
2. Is ‘The transplant case’ a counter example to animalism?
Thanks.
Agaia Trottier
Agaia, Olson is a sort of animalist, he believes in BAPI, or Biological Account of Personal Identity. Don't worry about it, it gets too complex for our actual purpose of study.
Sometimes, a video of the injustice speaks better than 100 arguments.
In my opinion, the ideas of ‘speciesism” and human supremacy of animals is the result of lack of moral judgment and intelligence. Although I am in favor of scientific research with the use of animals, I am opposed to the concept of cruel and inhumane treatment to those animals we consume for food. Regardless of the fact that animals can’t express their pain in words, it is evident that they feel pain just as we do. However let us face the facts, we have been arguing this concept for many years and although some progress has been made, we are still far along from our goals. With the nation and its economic status, the idea of animal rights is second plate to most people. Although, we are more advanced than any other creature on this Earth, we cannot forget that certain of our abilities come in second place compared to those of some animals. Though I am not in total agreement with David Sztybel and the idea that animal treatment can be compared to the holocaust, the removal of beaks, injections of hormones, and space confinements that we practice on these animals can be compared to those events which took place. Hopefully as more and more evidence begins to emerge, our nation can move towards a more humane way of treating these animals.
I agree with animal rights:
I believe that animals contribute a significant role on planet earth, and should be given more consideration for their well-being. Every year the bees pollinate the flowers and the ground hog inform us of the winter. So it is propaganda to say animals serve no purpose. By neglecting these animals in insufficient living conditions cause detriment to us consumers. Just imagine raising a sick animal (that has been imprisoned and tortured most of its life) then eating it. As Ludwig wrote in his 1863 essay “man is what he eats”. Due to animal cruelty diseases such as swine flu and obesity is increasing human death tolls. Major cattle industries such as KFC and McDonalds could be the blame for their support in sterilizing and the cloning of animals for profit. I believe these major companies are turning America into a utilitarian society; disregarding religion and the laws of nature, for moral selfishness. In order to stop animal cruelty I suppose we farm our own cattle or become vegetarians. This will save victimized animals in addition is a more sanitized way to live.
I know my comment may sound a bit selfish, but I can really care less if animals have a suitable life style before they die at the end of the day they still die. The reality is that the consumer needs food and producers are willing to produce fast and cheap food to keep their customers happy. I do not see where the problem occurs regardless of how they have been tried they are going to die. People in the U.S. die everyday and if we were to stop processing food the way we do know more people would be dying of starvation. On the other hand, we all should try and live a good life before we die, but we all have a purpose on earth. We as humans need meat to receive our daily nutrition requirement that meats provides to us. If we stop producing the way we do the producers won’t be able to meet the demands of the people.+
Animals have been around for quite some time and most of them have been treated poorly, namely the animals that most of us enjoy eating. The abuse of most animals is not just limited to turning them into food, but also the other activities we use them for as Sercan pointed out, such as killing them for their fur and for just plain entertainment (e.g. hunting as a sport). They have a right to live as much as we, humans, do. Just because w may be superior to them and have a more advanced form of communication and way of living doesn’t make us better than those animals. As Peter Singer stated that we may never know whether an animal is suffering or not since they don’t have our form of language. I think that they do have their own form of language though and with that, they can communicate amongst their own species, it’s just that us humans are too ignorant on whether they feel pain or not, we are more concerned on whether they will make a delicious meal or not, whether their fur will be warm enough for us to wear, or whether they will make a formidable house ornament to hang. I just think the whole idea of mistreating animals is wrong, sure there is nothing one can do about it, I know I can’t.
When it comes to animals and whatever rights they don't have, I have a simple outlook on what I do and don't agree with. I'm not for the animal cruelty in reference to the food industry, but all for animal testing for when it comes to medical experimentation.
I believe that when it comes to our food and were it comes from, it is an important subject. The animals that are abused daily is unnecessary. I do not mind spending the extra money if i know no animals are harmed. I am not rich, far from it, but i do not believe we need to hurt the animals. I am not going to say that we cannot eat them, I love my beef but I do not want it stuffed with preservatives and antibiotics that my body does not need.
When it comes to medical care, I believe that we need to do everything that we can to find cures for diseases. If that means that we have to do experiments on animals to find the cure for cancer, or AIDS or even diabetes then so be it. I do believe in survival of the fittest and we are on top of the food chain. Of course I would like the suffering to be at a minimum but what ever needs to be done should be done.
-Joel Gonzalez
Good Day,
I am for animal rights and believe that animals deserve to have an experience to living on earth freely before being killed and be able to also contribute more. I find it to be kind of unfair that animals are being killed constantly for food or for the use of their skin (clothing). Everyday an animal is being killed because the lack of food in many countries. It is very risky that we humans eat animals because certain animals may not be cleaned properly or could also carry a disease that may possibly affect our health. There has been many people that suffered from animal meat and died because of it. Diseases from these animals can even spread from one person to the next.
Also, I am against animals that are being abused and think that all animals deserves to be treated better. In my opinion, I believe that animals shouldn't be injected with all sorts of different chemicals and really don't see the reason why that they are put through that. The chemicals that are being put in these animals, we are consuming them. That's why it's important that we are careful with what meat we are eating and buying too. Many fast food places are serving these meats with tons of grease and chemicals that are added. It seems like we take advantage of animals because they are not like us and don't have a say in things. I remember watching a cow and a chicken being killed live and it was very much uncomforatble.
In the same way as Tom Regan argues, I believe that animals have rights and should be treated with dignity. We posses cognitive abilities and so do they, not at the same level, but they do; therefore, they also have a right to live, grow and develop as “subjects-of-a-life”. Only humans are stupid enough to compare themselves with animals and think that if animals don’t cry or moan, it means that they don’t feel pain.
As it has been discussed, Animal Farming is an answer to human overpopulation and it fills in our hunger and nutrition gap. I understand that we need to eat and that it’s necessary to have an adequate nutrition. However, is this (Animal Farming) the only way? Aren’t we choosing the most comfortable path as we step on Animal Rights? I believe so.
Unfortunately, I can’t come up with any BIG suggestion to replace the gap filled by Animal Farming, I can only think about vegetarianism. It all seems wrong, millions of animals are growing in ridiculous small spaces; they are fed with artificial nutrients and are finally killed shortly after grown up. As a consequence we are “developing” as an unhealthy society, hypocritically giving our back to those beings who have accompanied us since we evolved.
I just remember when I was small, going on rides to the country and seeing those cows, baby sheep, baby pigs and feeling so happy because of there existence. I can’t just forget about them and become comfortable with the way the “system” works.
I feel everyone should at least give vegetarianism a shot. I can’t be hypocritical and say that I am a vegetarian but at least I try to buy organic food, which means it doesn’t come from these cruel “Animal Farms”. Maybe in 500 years, people will look back to our society and feel ashamed for eating animals, the same way we feel ashamed for burning supposed witches 500 years ago.
The reality is that the consumer needs food and producers are willing to produce fast and cheap food to keep their customers happy.
Your argument is as simple as it can be: We need food. Keep people happy. Produce fast.
On the other hand, we all should try and live a good life before we die, but we all have a purpose on earth.
Good life for "us humans". But what is "good life" when that life does not even contemplates the possibility of unnecessary suffering of sentient animals?
By the way, sign your name.
I agree with what many have said. We all die and we deserve to have a descent life before we leave this world. Just like we express feelings when we see a stranger brake his leg we should feel the same for all the animals that are mistreated daily in factories and even at homes. Animal cruelty is a very important subject that in my opinion should affect and worry everyone.
Just like human beings animals have feelings too. And they are being exploited by us. These animals do not deserve to be under constant stress and at risk of many diseases; Diseases that end up affecting us as well. Being cheap is not going to help change or better the world. On the other hand taking our time and spending our money the right way will help and profit more than what is being done.
These poor animals are being kept in small spaces their entire life’s, given hormones to grow faster than normal and some are fed the left over’s of the other animals being killed. The animals are transferring diseases all day throughout each other.
In conclusion we should revise and try to realize that animal cruelty must be stopped just as we want to stop global warming and hunger. It is not about liking or disliking meat is about animals that have helped us since the start of civilization survive in every way.
I agree with what many have said. We all die and we deserve to have a descent life before we leave this world. Just like we express feelings when we see a stranger brake his leg we should feel the same for all the animals that are mistreated daily in factories and even at homes. Animal cruelty is a very important subject that in my opinion should affect and worry everyone.
Just like human beings animals have feelings too. And they are being exploited by us. These animals do not deserve to be under constant stress and at risk of many diseases; Diseases that end up affecting us as well. Being cheap is not going to help change or better the world. On the other hand taking our time and spending our money the right way will help and profit more than what is being done.
These poor animals are being kept in small spaces their entire life’s, given hormones to grow faster than normal and some are fed the left over’s of the other animals being killed. The animals are transferring diseases all day throughout each other.
In conclusion we should revise and try to realize that animal cruelty must be stopped just as we want to stop global warming and hunger. It is not about liking or disliking meat is about animals that have helped us since the start of civilization survive in every way.
Jessica james
phi2010 t540
Factory farming is wrong. Why should we kill animals and cause them to suffer for our enjoyment. Even though i am a meat eater, I always have in the back of my mind the cruelty they have to go through for me to have a plate for dinner.I know that i would use another way of eating if the alternative ways were not so expensive. I believe this is the reason why many American eat meat it is much cheaper. And with all the fast food chains its more convient.It is bogus to believe that animals are not important and don't have any feelings. Animals live in our homes, make us happy, and are even treated like a family member. Trying to prove animals right will be a difficult task and may just get brushed off. Like peter singer stated they have no language and is impossible to know when there suffering. So therefore we have to have a voice for them and take a stand. Hopefully animals rights will be taken into consideration and something is done to save them from suffering.
LOS DERECHOS DE LOS ANIMALES
Si partimos de una de las definiciones de derecho, la del “derecho subjetivo” que lo refiere como “la facultad que tiene un sujeto para ejecutar determinada conducta o abstenerse de ella, o para exigir de otro sujeto el cumplimiento de su deber (1), creo que no viene al caso hablar de derechos de los animales porque ellos nunca podrían hacerlos cumplir, ni defenderlos, tiene que ser por intermedio del hombre.
Con base en lo anterior plantearé mi posición con base en el respeto que merece todo ser vivo, categoría en la que incluyo, seres humanos, animales e inclusive las plantas; cada una de estas especies tiene una función en la naturaleza y por ello el hombre, como ser superior, por su inteligencia y capacidad de pensar tiene el deber de conservarlos adecuadamente y luchar por la perpetuación de su especie
Me aparto del hinduismo y del budismo, corrientes que prohíben el sacrificio de los animales y me adhiero al islamismo al considerar que los animales pueden ser sacrificados para la alimentación del hombre, para su beneficio; pero en arras del respeto por ese ser vivo que siente dolor y que sufre, pienso que su sacrificio debe ser inmediato, sin tiranía, ni crueldad
Más que derechos de los animales, considero, son deberes de los hombres, que al utilizarlos en cualquier campo, como animales domésticos, como mascotas o a nivel industrial, como mercancía, garanticen que mientras estén vivos y bajo su cuidado, los tengan en condiciones dignas, sin hambre, con salud y sin sufrimiento.
Para finalizar, pienso que el problema no es establecer o defender unos derechos. El verdadero problema es moral. La mejor forma de defender el desarrollo natural de los seres que nos rodean, incluyendo nuestros pares humanos, es desarrollando en sociedad un marco de principios morales coherentes con nuestra condicion de seres humanos, con el conocimiento de que tenemos multiples necesidades y habitamos un espacio con recursos escazos. .wikipedia.org/wiki/Derecho. Consultado el 1 de mes 11 de 2009
Martha Perez
Rosemary Blaz
“They can see, hear, and touch, but they are not, in any sense, conscious, and are unable to suffer or even to feel pain.” René Descartes (1596–1650).
I don’t know about you, but when ever someone accidentally steps on my dog’s tail, he yelps as if he was in pain. I personally am the type of person that does care about animals and how they are treated, but I am also someone that loves to eat and sometimes blind myself to what is done to the animals that I am consuming. In my opinion animals should have rights in this country. The United State has become so engulfed in the quantity of what we eat, that everything is disregarded as long as the right amount of cattle, chicken, or pork is being shipped out by the end of the week. What I don’t understand is that if Europe can have laws to protect their animals, why the United States can’t do the same.
Whenever I see videos of how animals are treated and hear about what they put them through it saddens me. What troubles me more is that because I am a student living on her own, with two jobs and not many resources, I lack choices when it comes to purchasing food. I look for things that are cheap but good regardless of the process in which it went through to get to my plate. I know it sounds bad but I’m sorry to say that it’s true.
So what I’m trying to say is that I’m all for Animal Rights and all its aspects, as long as it doesn’t cost me an arm and a leg to get a hamburger when I’m hungry.
In life there are choices we all decide to make. The choice is either right or wrong. I feel that the choice factory farmers decided to take, with their methods are wrong. Animals, like humans, have feelings and have the right to life as all other persons. However, the only thing that these factory farmers are concerned with is making as much money, as quick as possible. The lives of animals such as cows, chickens and pigs, come second to production. Chickens, for example, are subject to de-beaking, an excruciating procedure, where the beak of a chicken is cut off. This allows more room for jamming these helpless creatures together, in a tight cage. I feel that this mistreatment is immoral and inhumane. I understand that many animals serve as the daily calorie intake for Americans, but that doesn’t mean they must be demeaned and made insignificant. A more dignified way of killing these animals is always a possible and a more favorable approach.
I use to call myself a hypocrite because I am one to stand for the rights of animals (of all living beings), however I eat them. I was of course much younger and perhaps did give into a bit of peer pressure due to the fact that two of my very good friends in high school were vegan and vegetarian.
I do however respect and am very open minded of different cultures and am in love with food and most enjoy being in the kitchen. Thus, there are so, so, so many different foods that I have yet to taste and experience that include meat or any other bits of animal products. I briefly lived as a vegetarian for one full summer only eating seafood (I had to have some kind of iron my mother told me), until one day I was craving buffalo chicken wings. That then expanded to only eating seafood and chicken and no red meats. However that didn't last long either until I came to my realization earlier mentioned. Nevertheless I refuse to step foot in certain fast food joints because I do not support as to where their food came from whatsoever.
I love animals, and as said I stand strongly and have utmost respect for the animal race, and therefore am absolutely against animal cruelty and the treatment of their lives when it comes to factory farming. Determining whether something is right and/or wrong is hard to say because everyone is entitled to their own opinion. However to have it be okay to fit 12-15 chickens in a cage that should safely fit only 4 is unethical and utterly unfair, just to produce more food and more money, and simply because the human race feels that such beings do not have a voice. Fine there are those that are dying of starvation every 3-5 seconds and those that can’t afford certain foods that are “organic” perhaps, and we should be putting our energy and efforts to helping those in such circumstances. I still find it, in my opinion wrong.
I definitely believe that farm animals deserve a minimum standard of cleanliness and space, and that animals should not suffer needlessly. They are handled as units of production, rather than living, breathing creatures.
It is true that nowadays, a lot of people are suffering because there is not enough food. However, that has nothing to do with factory farming, which has become increasingly industrialized. This mechanized approach ignores animals’ needs, which often sacrifices their health and wellbeing in the name of higher profits. I don’t think confining animals indoors, as closely together as possible, rather than letting them roam and graze on pasture, is someway healthy or the right thing to do; especially because we consume these products later. Therefore, I believe that we should take a look at the means of production and what it means; not only for the animals but what it speaks about us in society. We should, in my opinion hold importance to the rights and liberties of the animals and nurture the growth and breeding in a natural manner, not in a mechanized version based solely on mass production and high profits. The reprecautions for factory farming don’t lead to pure profit: there are pitfalls such as spread of disease, poor products, and high early mortality rates. The waste of product is not a simple loss of a chair or a table due to wear and tear. These are real living beings that can feel pain and breath air. The way in how we treat life measures how we treat and value nature and that must not be forgotten because it provides us with life as well. I am not saying the role of animal production is not needed and will not be profitable I am stating that i believe the life of animals and the means in which we treat food production must be respected for what it is and what it will mean for us and future generations as we strive to advance our lifestyle and society.
Valentina Busca Sust
Peter Singer suggests that pain behavior can be observed and that it manifests through screaming, moaning, clutching, and inability to react after an event that would cause pain. Furthermore, he argues that “there is no reason to suppose animal pain behavior would have a different meaning.” From this perspective, I agree with Singer’s statement. We know that animals have a nervous system as humans do and that they have nerves and a brain as humans have. Therefore, nerves’ role is to transport sensory stimuli to the brain. So, animals are able to feel pain when slaughtered, pumped with hormones and hold “captives” being unable to move. That is how most of our piece of meat on our tables is treated and many of us are fine with it as long as the meat is there to eat. It is cruel from us, humans, and I cannot but think of the fallowing idea of Singer “To animals, all humans are Nazi.”
Orban M.
Animal rights are a touchy subject, especially for me. I love animals more than human beings sometimes. I entirely agree with Peter Singer’s belief that animals feel pain. I have never had a piece of red meat in my entire life. When I was a child I was freaked out by the fact that red meat reminded me of blood. I am also right there with Utilitarianism and think it is morally wrong to take a life; whether human or animal. I am extremely happy with my choice to be a lacto-ovo vegetarian. I have always valued animals since as far back as I can recall. There is no way that someone can argue that there is no proof that animals feel pain as we do. Dogs will screech if you accidentally step on their paw. Whales can also sense when they are being hunted; they will panic and swim as fast as they can. It is a shame that the world has become the way that it is today. The whole food industry is driven by money and greed. Farming techniques are sub-par to say the least. I am an active member of PETA and I see how just how little people value the lives of animals. People will have a frog in a small cube as a decoration for their desk. I wonder if people would be willing to live in the overcrowded, unsanitary conditions these animals live in on factory farms. The animals have to deal with fear, pain and suffering. I understand that things cannot turn around overnight. But, if the conditions can be improved and it can be enforced that labels are actually truthful then the animals could AT LEAST live a better life before they have to die then things would be so much better. I am Jewish and part of my family eats Kosher. The meat that is Kosher is trapped and ritually slaughtered. The slaughter is done by a trained individual and avoids unnecessary pain to the animal. I don’t understand why this method cannot be used more widely. Hopefully things will change after all the controversy and media attention that animal rights are getting.
Laura Benitez
Aveces el ser humano se vuelve cruel y pierde ese sentido humanitario para con los seres vivos como por ejemplo los animales. Creo que muy pocas personas realmente se preocupan por como son tratados los animales o el proceso al que son sometidos antes de morir, solamente les interesa comerce un pedaso de carne. Tambien creo que son pocas las personas vejetarianas que toman la decision de serlo por causa de los animales, diria que la mayoria lo hace porque no le gusta la carne o una dieta. Seria un poco dificil o casi imposible que todos nos convirtieramos en vejetarianos pero lo que si es posible que se mejore el trato a los animales y se respeten las leyes sobre sus derechos. Ademas de que estos reciban un trato digno porque a pesar de no tener un lenguaje como el nuestro tambien sufren y sienten el dolor.
Shasyrin Martinez:
The treatment of animals while they are alive is very disturbing. I understand that animals are killed in a quick and painful way, but that should not be a reason for the animals to be treated so badly. I honestly do not think that the demand of food has anything to do with the treatment of animals. In Europe, animals are treated in the most natural way and food is an abundance. We do not need to blame the demand of food on the way that animals are treated. What we need to do is have stricter laws on animal rights, and our needs will be met quickly without having the knowledge that we are eating a tortured animal. Not only will our food production be a lot less disturbing but it will be healthier for us because we will not have to consume all of the chemicals and hormones stuffed into these animals.
I agree with the point Triff made in class. It’s hard to understand why people would even question whether animals have rights or feel pain, it seems so obvious.
We should not do to animals what we would not want to happen to ourselves. The way we abuse animals in factory farming is an externalization of the state of consciousness we have today as human beings. It is a clear example of the extent people will go to make a profit. The demand for animal products is what enables these businesses to continue. Unfortunately, most people don’t care about this issue or worse, feel that is not important. They are completely ignorant of the consequences they are producing. They think that this is not their problem and that it doesn’t affect them, when in fact, it affects their health directly. Knowing that every time you consume meat you are ingesting antibiotics, hormones, and harmful toxins. It turns out that these individuals who seem to not care about the well being of animals, ultimately, care even less about themselves.
Valeria Muntaner
Do animals whose very purpose of their existence is to be killed and sold (farm raised animals) deserve to be treated with some kind of justice and dignity? My answer to this question is yes. Like we have spoken about in class animals are persons for god sake us humans are animals. To say that animals do not deserve fair living conditions is ignorant and inhuman. The processing of animals is what it is today simply because of greed. I am not saying don’t kill the animal I’m saying treat it with respect while they are alive for they serve a great purpose, too feed us. How can you treat something with such an important role to the world so cruelly? I mean that’s almost like treating doctors like the scum of the earth when you think about it. They are here for our benefit the least we can do is treat them how they deserve to be treated.
I do recognize the efforts of certain organizations that are helping change and regulate laws. I also realize that it is hard to do so with the high demand of animal products, but more has to be done to correct this issue. I think that most people in the farming / processing industries should be more morally conscious and make the extra effort to make sure that the animals they are raising and killing for consumption are treated with fair rights and taken care of properly.
Animals and human beings can differ in many aspects; however, both remain to have feelings without having to express it through language. As Peter Singer says, “…there is no reason to suppose animal pain behavior would have a different meaning”. Just because we have a brain to think logically with, doesn’t necessarily give us the right to treat any animals with such disrespect. Animals deserve the same rights that are given to humans, through common sense. Animals don’t deserve how brutally they are often abused, specifically in order to obtain food and clothing; which are parts of people’s lives that could find other solutions other than sacrificing innocent animals for. For example, no one would agree with being shipped from the state of Georgia to Florida to be slaughtered and used for consumption, as they might be shoved with eight other friends in a 3 by 4 wooden crate. It allows just enough space to have the human necessities right on that spot and whenever needed, which would certainly be very unpleasant. Since we have been privileged to use a brain that helps us make decisions, the correct ones should be made and give those other animals the freedom to live a comfortable life before their usual distasteful death.
Camila Perez
Ethics vary from region to region and from culture to culture. In this sense "ethical treatment" is a very subjective topic. Yet, even though that ethics may be subjective, certain acts, behaviors, or actions are universally recognized as right or wrong.
The way some of these animals are treated are just simply criminal. Where these people we were talking about living in these conditions there would be enormous amounts of activists and protests globally.
The fact remains that we use these animals for consumption and will probably continue to do so for a long time. But the conditions they are held in shoud undoubedly be improved.
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