What's your opinion about animal cruelty around the world?

Question: What's your opinion about animal cruelty around the world!?

Vivisection
Whaling
Seal Hunting
Fur Farms
Bullfights
Illegal HuntingWww@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

We are in the fortunate position of possessing a higher intelligence, unfortunately some people seem to think that this alone, sets us above all other life and think that this means being able to do as they please with all other life, animals and the environment, they miss the point which is that because of our place in the scheme of things, we have a responsibility to protect that which is more vulnerable than us, this is the same attitude as the people in this world who think they can miss-treat other people who are poorer , more vulnerable or less powerful than themselves, I think this is what causes most of the human and animal suffering in the world, more than any other one thing!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

There is a general lack of awareness by many people around the world about cruelty to animals!. All of the issues you raise are serious, but factory farming, left off the list for some reason, is undoubtedly the single largest source of animal suffering!.

vegbeauti: You might want to reexamine the reasons you stopped being a vegan animal rights activist!.

"Philosophically, it seems that reasons for believing something are terribly important, and that these should be rational rather than emotional!." - Emotional reasons are quite valid!. There is no purely rational reason for, all other things being equal, me helping my family rather than a stranger's family!. Yet, if my family is starving and the other family is starving, and I can only work enough to feed one, we would say I have good reason to only feed my own family!. Without the intimate emotional bonds of family, there isn't much reason to do so, but it is still totally justifiable!.

"I see no reason why animals should be entitled to rights, or people from that matter!. Here is why: I can't even imagine, let alone come up with a coherent rational argument, for how one would ground this, or anything else for that matter!." - I agree with you, rights are arbitrary concepts, rooted in our cultural history and language!. But to conclude from the arbitrariness of rights that all systems of ethics is arbitrary is bad reasoning!. Utilitarian considerations about not causing pain seem pretty well grounded in reality, don't they!? I'm not sure what other grounds you would need to be concerned about animals other than they can feel pain, what I do causes them pain, and it is better for a being to not feel needless pain than to feel needless pain!.

"I can't find a ground for anything!.

This doesn't mean we are left in relativism!. Heck, I can't find any grounds for relativism, either!." - You are right!. It is nihilism, not relativism you find so convincing!. But you don't even find it convincing in a consistent manner!. Why use nihilistic beliefs to justify treating animals badly, but continue to treat humans decently!? If you could steal from someone and get away with it, why not steal!?

In order to be consistent, humans should get no moral consideration on your view either!. Since nihilism means you cease to have moral concerns, and you have ceased to act on these in regard to animals, in order to be consistent, you should also cease to act on them in regards to humans!.

"I haven't seen any real rational support for animal rights that wasn't just some people feeling bad for animals or some people needing something to act self-righteously about in college, or whatever!." - What about the very logical utilitarian account for why we should refrain from harming other living beings!? Peter Singer and other ethicists give very rational reasons to not harm animals!. In fact, a number of logical reasons given by professional philosophers can be found at http://www!.askphilosophers!.org/!?q=&cat=A!.!.!. You aren't addressing the case for animal rights, just making a straw man and attacking it!.

Aside from that, you do not believe there is any real rational support for human rights either!. Again, so unless you cease to act morally toward humans, you are guilty of a grave inconsistency!.

It seems to me that the position your sketched out here is a just a mass of inconsistent confusions!. You seem to think that because we cannot be absolutely certain about morality, we should not act on any morality!. But of course we are not absolutely sure the earth orbits the sun, but presumably you think we are justified in believing this and acting as if it were true!. You seem to be making the mistake of thinking only absolute logical certainty is sufficient grounds for acting on a belief (at least when it comes to morality)!. This isn't philosophy, this is a caricature of philosophy!. The fact that presumably you do not even apply your nihilism consistently is all the more evidence to me that you aren't really a nihilist, just an armchair nihilist!.

I'm not sure what more is needed to "ground" moral concern for animals other than their capacity to suffer!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Oh, where to start!. First, I'm giving you more of a philosophical response, since the question is, after all, in the philosophy section!. Second, I'll add in that I was vegan and an animal rightist for 10 years, and dropped out, to be frank!.

Philosophically, it seems that reasons for believing something are terribly important, and that these should be rational rather than emotional!.

I see no reason why animals should be entitled to rights, or people from that matter!. Here is why: I can't even imagine, let alone come up with a coherent rational argument, for how one would ground this, or anything else for that matter!.

I can't find a ground for anything!.

This doesn't mean we are left in relativism!. Heck, I can't find any grounds for relativism, either!.

This is why I'm in philosophy!. Not because I have answers, but because seeking them is what I seem to tend to do!.

I haven't seen any real rational support for animal rights that wasn't just some people feeling bad for animals or some people needing something to act self-righteously about in college, or whatever!.

Not trying to be a bummer, but, hey, you asked!. Really, how would you ground animal rights, or anything else for that matter!? Think about it!.

[Added afterwards] To the response to my answer: I'll keep this short and to the point, commenting on the last remark/line about my answer!. Suffering is most definitely not a ground!. A ground, according to every metaphysician in philosophical history is something that is not contingent!. Suffering seems to be contingent on a being, such as a human or a non-human animal!. Suffering as a phenomena, on another note, would have to be verified as to its existence!. I'd like to see you solve the problem of solipsism sufficiently, such that you could verify the existence of an entity, such that you could then and only then begin to discuss the phenomena of suffering!. You can tie me up and torture me and then ask me rhetorically if I affirm the phenomena of suffering, but this is a far cry from sufficiently thinking through the phenomena of it philosophically, as it is properly being asked about in regard to its philosophical sense, not its rhetorical sense!.

I thank you for your comment, at any rate!. While I re-examine my reasoning for no longer being vegan, you can in return re-examine whether someone can act on something other than a belief, as I feel any aesthetic not held through conviction but purely aesthetically is also sufficient for action!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

No animal should suffer unnecessarily but when considering how animals are treated in other countries we must take into account that their ways are often strongly imprinted on their culture so it will be hard for their whole society to change!.

I do not in anyway agree with cruelty to animals and I do not want my above comment to be an excuse for it!. What I am saying is that many years ago in U!.K we didn't treat animals all to fairly so hopefully within time and with our help and influence the other countries will change their ways!.

As for the U!.K there is obviously still a lot of room for improvement but I think that we are moving in the right direction!. I just wish that the persons that cause cruelty to animals were punished more!. The sentences are always minimal and the fines inadequate for the pain and suffering they have caused!.

So there you go!. That's me final finished lolWww@QuestionHome@Com

The very fact that we as animals can afford the luxury of the cruelty intervention/interference ethos, is cruelty in itself!. Self-appointed and pompous idiots we are!. "Ooh look at the pretty ways of nature" and never see a single flailing organ of a dying zebra on the Serenghetti at the perilous paws of a a starving Lioness!. If I have to watch another "Chimpanzee Diaries" programme I might just kill someone to prove my point!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Listen I'm not for animal cruelty at all, I love animals, but you always have to remember somewhere in the world there are people being treated just as bad or worse than those animals!.!.!. Does that mean you can stop it all, of course not, but prioritize!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I eat meat that is the way god made me but I do not kill any animal bird or fish that I do not want for the pot and any domestic animal I have kept for food has has been treated as humanly as I am able!. There is such a variety of food available to me today that I find I eat less meat as time passes!. I hate pointless killing but if the need arose I would hunt and fish to feed my family!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

it makes me physically sick to think that any one could harm any living thing its worse in animals as they cant tell you they are being abused i think people do it coz they get away with it growing up i was taught that all life is important i was taught that even animals that we use for food should be cared for and respected as that is our food source!. people have no fear they do as they please i live in an area were dog fighting is growing i hate it & hate any one that can be mean to any living soul there should be harder punishments for all those who inflict pain to animals!. xxWww@QuestionHome@Com

It's generally horrible, but difficult to find a consensus definition due to cultural differences and individual diversity in morals!. In the end, I am against it, but I care more about cruelty to humans, another significant global issue!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I hate it! I can't believe human beings are capable of being so heartless and doing such things to hurt innocent creatures who never did a thing to them!. It deeply saddens me!.!. I'm a meat eater but I don't eat those that I've seen alive or slaughtered!.!. My dad had a pig brought in our house and I saw how his men slaughtered it!. I cried and didn't eat it at all!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

It's bad and completely, and utterly POINTLESS!.

Makes me wish someone would hunt, skin and provoke the supporters and see how they like it!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

no - no use
no - no use
no - no use
no - I use Kipling
no - not interested
no - hate killing animalWww@QuestionHome@Com

Appalling that in this day and age so called civilised human beings can abuse animals!. What does it say about humanity that suffering of any kind matters so little!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

Well, for a start, people should stop thinking of wild animals the way they think of teddy bears!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

i hate it!.
none of it the products are REALLY needed!.
i think people need to find a better hobby!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

One of the world's worst problems!. Animal cruelty needs to stop NOW!!!!Www@QuestionHome@Com

every single act or thought is disgusting!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

its bad and they should stopWww@QuestionHome@Com