Should We Eat Meat If the Animal Wants to Be Eaten?

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The discussion revolves around a scenario from Douglas Adams' "The Restaurant at the End of the Universe," where a genetically modified cow desires to be eaten, raising ethical questions about animal rights and human consumption. Participants debate whether the willingness of an animal to be slaughtered changes the morality of eating meat and if artificially altering an animal's desires is ethically acceptable. The conversation also touches on the implications of brainwashing, both in animals and humans, questioning the nature of free will and informed decision-making. Participants express discomfort with the idea of a "willing" victim, arguing that no being truly chooses death over life, regardless of genetic modifications. Ultimately, the thread highlights the complexities of ethics in agriculture and the philosophical dilemmas surrounding life, death, and consent.
  • #31
MOO
(Most cows Object to Obliteration)
 
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  • #32
Greetings !
Originally posted by Dissident Dan
Well, I don't think that the degree of want is the only deciding factor. It is possible that a person could want something incredibly bad for him, but wants it incredibly badly. Look at drug addicts. Many will do anything to get the drugs that are the source of their own torment and destruction.

Who said its a torment for them and who says its their
distruction ? To you it may seem so, but what really matters
is what they think (or at least feel ).

Live long and prosper.
 
  • #33
Originally posted by drag
Greetings !

Who said its a torment for them and who says its their
distruction ? To you it may seem so, but what really matters
is what they think (or at least feel ).

Live long and prosper.

I do.

It being eaten did not cause it torment, it would either have to be A) incredibly drugged, or B) not a carbon-based organism with conscious abilities--and I don't think that not being carbon-based would necessarily preclude it being tormented.

It is their destruction, unless you only take a leg or something. If you destroy the brain function, there is no more conscious entity.

If it would feel pain as I think that it would, then it would think/feel that, too, because pain is something that you feel.
If it was dead, it would be able to think or feel anything, hence it being destroyed.
 
  • #34
What if the Cow is genetically engineered to be non-conscious but responsive, and intelligently responsive so as to convince the average restaurant diner that they actually do think, and that they actually do 'want' to be eaten?

What then?
 

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