From: Mike Lorrey (mlorrey@yahoo.com)
Date: Tue Apr 29 2003 - 18:33:23 MDT
--- Rafal Smigrodzki <rafal@smigrodzki.org> wrote:
> Mike Lorrey wrote:
> >
> > What I find interesting is that those who espouse 1) are also
> > generally atheistic, though there are buddhists as well. The
> atheist
> > vegetarian who argues a moral argument can't give a rationale for
> > their moral argument that is not grounded in theology. Furthermore,
> > if completely ignores the fact that there is far more suffering of
> > animals when they overpopulate due to overgrazing and lack of
> > sustainable predation than when animals are regularly slaughtered
> > quickly. Starvation is a very painful way to die.
> >
>
> The long-term rational observer could argue that a person'scommitment
> to the minimization of suffering in general is a predictor for future
> unwillingness to inflict suffering on the observer, and moralistic
> vegetarianism could be a marker for the strength of this commitment,
> albeit a very imperfect one. Therefore, the observer, in the
> interest of limiting the risk of others inflicting suffering on him
> in the future, might advance the idea of vegetarianism, and
> cooperate preferentially with vegetarians.
> Since cooperation from rational vegetarians could only be expected if
> the observer himself shows the same commitment to minimization of
> suffering, the observer might have to adapt the vegetarian behavior
> as a sign of commitment.
>
> This is directly analogous to antlers displayed by deer, and public
> charity shown by the rich - costly signs of prowess or moral
> rectitude.
Only if one is a dunce. A rational observer would not make the
irrational conflation of non-sentient animals with sentient beings and
thus irrationally equate animal and sentient rights.
Such a conclusion by an alleged rational observer is far more ludicrous
than conferring rights on virtual beings.
>
> As a side note, vegetarianism would have nothing to do with the
> suffering of wild animals under the conditions of ecological
> imbalance you describe.
On the contrary, vegetarians are almost uniformly against hunting, so
much so that in many states laws have had to be enacted outlawing the
harassment of hunters while they are hunting.
Vegetarians have absolutely no concept of compassionate and rational
wildlife managment. Instead, they irrationally project the imagined
personalities they detect in their houspets onto the entire animal world.
=====
Mike Lorrey
"Live Free or Die, Death is not the Worst of Evils."
- Gen. John Stark
"Pacifists are Objectively Pro-Fascist." - George Orwell
"Treason doth never Prosper. What is the Reason?
For if it Prosper, none Dare call it Treason..." - Ovid
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