I was once presented with the argument that if a lion deserves the right to not be hunted, killed and eaten, then he must also commit not to kill me. Otherwise I have the right to do whatever I want to that lion. In other words, if an animal does not possess “human-like” morality, then he is not worthy of moral…

The idea that animals must comprehend a social contract in order to be granted the right not be confined, enslaved, violated and violently killed is absurd. The only morally relevant criteria in determining how we treat other sentient beings is based on whether they can suffer from any of the above forms of use or…

There are plenty of human cases where social rules are not understood but we still grant them inclusion into our moral community and we certainly don’t make their mental deficiencies a justification to exploit, kill and eat them. Yes, responsibility is a two-way street but animals bred into this world by humans, such…

As I reread this piece, it seems to me more about how to navigate your way through the social encounters vegetarians will inevitably face in a non vegetarian world. And it warns against "making waves." I suppose if your goal is conformity and acceptance in a dominant carnist society like ours, then this is advice…

Thanks you Mavaddat, I appreciate you digging through the archives on the FFH site to find this article that relates to the discussion here and hopefully stirs some to question the notion that our "choice" to inflict suffering on animals for meat, dairy or eggs is an endorsement of MIGHT MAKES RIGHT thinking. This is…

It's actually not at all complex.

The same arguments were made by those who defended slavery and claimed that it was impolite to speak critically of slavery around slaveowners who deeply believed human slavery and the institution of slavery was moral and just. If we are going to claim that protecting human egos at a dinner table is more important than…

At the end of the day, your vegetarianism is your choice and you have your reasons. With these tips you can be a vegetarian while living and socializing with others that aren't.

The word "meat" strips animals of any meaning or value beyond the commodification of their flesh. "Meat" strips the animal of her individual, subjective identity as a free agent who has a mind full of intentions and interests of her own. "Meat" is the objectification of a someone who had a mind equipped with…

Even non vegans already believe that the world would be a better place with less suffering. People don't go around saying, "If we could just have a little more suffering on this planet, things would be a lot better!" It is not hypocritical to hold a belief in veganism and yet be unable to avoid all products and…