Jamie_L

Interesting. Now, suppose it comes to pass. No one needs to raise livestock. Supposing people get out of the livestock business, with that represent the end of these domestic species? After all, they aren't suited for the wild (nor is the wild suited for them), and if they aren't profitable, no one will raise them. Would a technology that prevents us from killing individual animals result in the near-extinction of these species? (I'm sure a few would be kept around in zoos.)

Think we'll be able to "grow" fur without animals one day?

Jamie

sweep

for one thing it would eliminate the need to destroy rainforests in favour of pastoral land. I'm not sure what impact this would have on the economy of those who rely on money from farm animals. Another good thing about a future with few livestock is an increase in available grains and vegetable matter. Pigs are a luxury animal; they eat the same foods as humans and they are costly in that respect. Cows and their relatives are scavengers that process grass, which humans cannot. This raises their value as a potential food source. Yet the decline of forests may be a far more pressing issue than pastoral farming. considering the current rate of growth in the burger industry, and the McDonaldisation of the world, this seems unlikely.

as for the question of growing fur, if this were possible, hunting would become obsolete. No more need to club seals or to hunt whales. If we could also synthesize spider silk then perhaps we would all be wearing bullet proof clothing too.

JusticeMachine

This is a hypothetical question, but if we could synthetically reproduce mass quantities of muscle (meat) in a lab/factory, should we, in the idea of eliminating suffering, separate and control the environment in such a way as to keep pretatory animals from hunting there prey and feed them ourselves.

Off subject question to vegitarians: if we had synthetically grown meat, would you eat it?

Jamie_L

I would assume if you were a vegetarian just for moral reasons, you'd have no problem. If you were opposed to meat for health reasons, then synthetic meat is liable to be just as bad for you as real meat.

Jamie

JusticeMachine

Jamie:

That is exactly my point, human morals can not be applied to the animal world. We are separate from them in a miriad of ways, but animal rights activist don't seem to agree.

I think animals are a resource, like anything else to be used wisely and not abused.

I will be for the ethical treatment of animals when animals begin to have ethics.

sweep

we are animals. we have an impact on other animals. the way we choose to use animals, and have chosen, has backfired. Do you know what e-coli does to humans? We choose how they are treated and we choose how they die and in what conditions they live. If you regarded yourself as an animal, then you might better understand. you are not exempt from predators. I am not trying to scare you, although fear is a powerful tool.

do you think that the way we treat animals should be arbitrary?

do you think that it is good to chase foxes until every cell in their body is screaming? Then, when they stop gangs of dogs tear their body apart, leaving a nest of frightened, starving cubs, elsewhere in a secluded spot. Have you seen the sort of person that does this? They have shiny buttons, bright red coats and are what are known as toffs. They probably laugh and tell silly tales in front of blazing fires, after the kill. I would like to watch those people hunted and then to hear their opinion from a hostpital bed.

JusticeMachine

Sweep:

So in your opinion, what is the difference between humans and the rest of the animal kindom?

tudal

Why cavil over an issue such as animal rights when there's a more seemingly important one: What's wrong with harming or killing humans?

JusticeMachine

The base concept is other things have to died so that I may live.

So, we then have to decide, is all life equal, in which case I could kill and eat a human, or is some life above eating.

IMO I place humans at the top of the life value chart, but now how do we decide what we can eat and what we can't.

tudal

Why? What gives humans precedence over everything else?