Peter Singer's Argument On Factory Farming

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Raising animals to be factory farmed for their resources results in suffering for the animals only to provide humans with meat to satisfy their desires. Peter Singer is a philosopher who argues for considering the interests of animals as they are not being weighed fairly for their interests and are being exploited. As eating factory farmed animals causes more unnecessary suffering, most of us are morally obligated to become vegetarian. Creatures that are capable to experience pleasure and pain are considered sentient beings. As a result, the animals that are sentient, as they can feel pleasure and pain, are entitled to equal consideration of their interests compared to humans. Utilitarianism is the moral theory one is morally required in life…show more content…
4). With these principles in mind, factory farming cannot be an acceptable practice as it violates both of these by causing greatest suffering to many and we ought to do actions that cause the greatest amount of pleasure. The opposite of utility is suffering and minimizing this, results in higher net utility for the many, more pleasure. While some people will not be satisfied without eating meat initially, overall suffering has been minimized for the many when considering the interests of sentient…show more content…
3). Franklin’s rationalization of eating another animal fails to make the comparison of the interests. Because of this, it fails to invalidate the premise of equal consideration. Singer states, “Nonhuman animals are not capable of considering the alternatives open to them or of reflecting on the ethics of their diet. Hence it is impossible to hold the animals responsible for what they do.” (Singer, Ch. 3). This means that the animal that eats another does not have the capability to rationalize its actions and it cannot consider be held accountable to consider the interests of another animal to its own. In nature animals eating each other do not cause any unnecessary suffering overall as it is usually necessary for the animal to eat another for sustenance. This objection does not truly counter Singer’s argument as rational agents we should not be looking to animals for moral guidance to justify our

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