Vegetarianism Stack Exchange
Vegetarianism Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [ethics]

For questions about philosophical or moral reasoning relating to veg*n practices. Try to avoid asking questions that invite primarily opinion-based answers

Many people follow veg*n diets and/or lifestyles for ethical reasons.

This tag should be used for questions about ethical reasons for veg*nism, for example, to ask for a clarification of certain aspect of veg*nism from an ethical standpoint.

For a useful discussion on how this site should handle questions about ethics, see this Area 51 post:

Should Ethics be Allowed?

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Plants show intelligent behaviour, is this sufficient for moral consideration?

Recent research has revealed that plants are able to communicate, learn, and respond to harm. It has been argued that these behaviours constitute basic intelligence. Robert A. Freitas Jr. has described plants as having hormonal sentience. Are these…
nloewen
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Is there an ethical alternative to mulesing? (Removal of wool-bearing skin from the breech of a sheep)

Mulesing is the removal of strips of wool-bearing skin from around the breech (buttocks) of a sheep to prevent flystrike (myiasis). The wool around the buttocks can retain feces and urine, which attracts flies. The scar tissue that grows over the…
Turion
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Do bivalves such as oysters feel pain or fear?

In moral arguments for veganism, the pain, stress, and fear experienced by animals is often given as an argument. I have read some arguments that vegetarians should be OK with eating oysters and mussels. What evidence exists (either way) that…
gerrit
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Which pets could be kept by someone who chooses to be vegan for environmental reasons?

Let's assume that someone is not concerned with animal welfare or rights of their pet, and is vegan for purely environmental reasons. The issue is that buying food for carnivorous animals is inherently not vegan (purchasing animal products). These…
WetlabStudent
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How is the presence of consciousness determined in an animal?

Given that animals can't tell us about their experiences, what forms of evidence are used to suggest whether an animal is conscious? This subject is important, since one argument for adopting vegetarianism as a lifestyle is a belief in animal…
nloewen
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Are there any farms that sell "cruelty-free" eggs (i.e. that don't slaughter older hens)?

Eggs maybe considered vegetarian by many since most eggs are unfertilized and do not result in the death of any animals. However, egg farms are usually not cruelty-free since when hens get too old to hatch eggs, they are slaughtered for meat. Are…
user779
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Traces of non-vegan ingredients

On many products I often read through and find that all the ingredients are vegan, then there is a disclaimer following which says there may be traces of certain non-vegan items (most commonly egg or milk). I assume this is done from an allergy…
mrnovice
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What are the main arguments against non-human animals holding intrinsic value?

The belief that animals hold intrinsic value is an important basis for animal rights. Wikipedia lists the main positions used as a basis for the intrinsic value of animals as: behaviouristic, as a morally neutral value that the animal's own (hence…
nloewen
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Is the use of pesticides considered vegan?

While sometimes considered indispensable for crops protection, pesticides are basically weapons of mass destruction aimed at insects and other animals that eat crops. Can food produced with the aid of pesticides still be said to be vegan,…
Alexander Rossa
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If vegans don't drink milk, why are they okay with breastfeeding?

Why is it that some vegans don't use dairy products, but still breast-feed their babies? Isn't this same idea of a mother cow breastfeeding their babies? Is it about animal cruelty, animal product (but human product is fine), or is there some other…
kenorb
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How to avoid being part of the slaughter of cockerels on the free-range egg farms?

Most of the eggs that are consumed are infertile. However would eating eggs from certain farms would increase kills of the male chickens (cockerels)? By killing, I mean brutally slaughtered by the use of lethal gas because of their little value.…
kenorb
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Eggs from free chicken

I'm on the path of becoming vegan, mainly because of compassion for animals and environmental issues. I am wondering about the vegan philosophy about the next question. I get why eating commercial eggs is harming an animal. Also when chickens live…
Vesnič
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Are vegans allowed to kill mice or beetles in their houses? Why or why not?

I was explaining the idea of being vegan to one of my friends and at the end of discussion I said “so we don’t harm any intelligent living thing which we are aware of“ so if we step on an ant which we do not see it doesn’t matter, but if we noticed…
Negar
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Why is keeping backyard hens inconsistent with veganism?

If somebody keeps egg-laying hens in their backyard and makes sure they are loved and well cared-for, what's wrong with taking and eating their eggs from the perspective of veganism? If a person who identified as vegan was considering getting…
Nic
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Does a live animal tracking system for vegetarian products exist?

I am thinking of a label system on cheese and egg found in supermarkets whereby you can use your phone camera to scan a bar code on those products. It would take you to a live supervision camera system via a standard app whereby you can navigate…
Joselin Jocklingson
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