Eating Animals: The Case for Vegetarianism

 AGENDA

1. How are food animals treated?
2. Peter Singer's case for vegetarianism
3. Singer's step-by-step plan

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Animal Liberation, chapter 5: Becoming Vegetarian

What are Singer's main arguments for changing our diet? Singer, Annotated

Should BOYCOTT because of the harm done by the animal industry

1. Harm to animals - focus on pain and suffering, not death
2. Harm to environment
3. Harm to malnourished people, because land can produce more plant food

What can BOYCOTT achieve?

1. Bolsters other efforts on behalf of animals
2. Bolsters activism to improve factory farms
3. Longterm goal: an end of using animals for food
4. Shortterm goal: reducing number of animals mistreated, saving some animals (Project Pollo)

Next reading (for Monday): Mark Budolfson, "Is it Wrong to Eat Meat from Factory Farms? If So, Why"

How should I participate in this BOYCOTT?

Singer's step-by-step plan (in black)

        "You must decide for yourself where you are going to draw the line..." 

         (STEP 0: Should we start smaller?)

STEP 1: stop consuming any factory farmed product

            now you are a compassionate omnivore 

STEP 2: "refuse to eat any slaughtered bird or mammal" whatever the type of farming. 

            now you are a vegetarian, but you eat fish (aka pescatarian) 

STEP 3: stop eating any fish

STEP 4: stop eating crustaceans (shrimp, lobster)

STEP 5: stop eating mollusks including octopus, oysters, clams, mussels, scallops 

STEP 6 (not required): stop eating free range eggs 

STEP 7 : avoid all dairy products (milk, cheese, etc.) but don't worry about small amounts 

            now you are a vegan, or almost a vegan 

(STEP 8: should we avoid even small amounts?)