Verified Document

Ethical To Raise Animals For Thesis

"To me, it's propaganda disguised as research," Mattos said in response to the report the California state Senate Office of Research produced. Essayist Bart Gruzalski (Ethics and Animals, p. 253) writes that "the use of animals for food can be justified on utilitarian grounds even if we take into account only the pleasures and pains of the animals involved." Gruzalski quotes pig farmer James Cargile, who buys "several pigs" every year "from a neighboring hog farm"; Cargile raises them "to slaughter for food" but sees no meanness because the pigs "are given lots of room and food, everything a pig could want for a good life but a short one" (Gruzalski, p. 253). Cargile states that his pigs "…are getting the best deal people are willing to give them" because their "good, short lives are better than no life at all" (Gruzalski, p. 253).

Arguments Against: Writing in The Well-being of farm animals: challenges and solutions, David Fraser and Daniel M. Weary assert that a pig in hot weather "will normally wallow in mud" to cool down (p. 41). But if an "overheated pig is confined in a pen where wallowing is impossible," Fraser et al. continues (p. 41), "its quality of life is arguable affected according to three criteria: the natural behavior is prevented; the animal is likely to undergo a heat-stress reaction" (involving reduced growth and reproduction); and three, the pig "is likely to feel uncomfortably hot."

D. Explain The Position Taken on These Issues

While I do not pass ethical or moral judgment on those who regularly eat red meat, pork or chicken, I do pass judgment on the unethical strategies used in "factory farming" of poultry, pigs and cattle. I find myself eating less of those three animal meats lately. Indeed, the facts brought out in this paper regarding the hideously inhumane conditions that these animals are put through creates a bit more hesitation in me to order a burger at McDonald's, a steak at Chile's or a BLT at Denny's. The solution to unethical slaughtering strategies can be achieved...

It is unconscionable and unacceptable for corporations like Foster Farms to crowd thousands of chickens into small enclosures and fatten them up using chemicals just to obtain the highest possible profit.
Works Cited

East Bay Animals Advocates (EBAA). (2005). Foster Farm Facts. Retrieved June 23, 2009,

From http://www.fosterfacts.net.

Fitzenberger, Jennifer M. (2004). California report criticizes animal cruelty at large cattle

And poultry farms. Sacramento Bee, Retrieved June 22, 2009, from http://www.sacbee.com.

Fraser, David, and Weary, Daniel M. (2004) Quality of Life for Farm Animals: Linking

Science, Ethics, and Animal Welfare. In G.J. Benson and B.E. Rollin (Eds.) The Well-

Being of Farm Animals: Challenges and Solutions. New York: Wiley-Blackwell.

Gruzalski, Bart. (1983). The Case Against Raising and Killing Animals for Food. In H.B.

Miller and W.H. Williams (Eds.) Ethics and Animals (pp. 254-259). Totowa, NJ:

Humana Press.

Masson, Jeffrey. (2009). Face on Your Plate: The Truth About Food. New York W.W.

Norton & Company.

Taylor, Angus. (2003). Animals and ethics: an overview of the philosophical debate.

Peterborough, ON (Canada): Broadview Press.

University of Connecticut. (2005). Animal Care Committee: Ethics of Animal Use -- Current

Theories. Retrieved June 23, 2009, from http://clacc.uchc.edu/ACC/Ethics/EthicsCurrentTheories.htm.

US Newswire. (2005). Animal Cruelty Revealed at Foster Farms. Retrieved June 22,

2009 from http://www.usnewswire.com.

Wunderlich, Gene. (1991). The Ethics of Animal Agriculture. Livestock Production and Marketing. Economic Research Service, USDA.

Sources used in this document:
Works Cited

East Bay Animals Advocates (EBAA). (2005). Foster Farm Facts. Retrieved June 23, 2009,

From http://www.fosterfacts.net.

Fitzenberger, Jennifer M. (2004). California report criticizes animal cruelty at large cattle

And poultry farms. Sacramento Bee, Retrieved June 22, 2009, from http://www.sacbee.com.
Theories. Retrieved June 23, 2009, from http://clacc.uchc.edu/ACC/Ethics/EthicsCurrentTheories.htm.
2009 from http://www.usnewswire.com.
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Ethics & Sharks Ethical Issues
Words: 1680 Length: 5 Document Type: Term Paper

Sharks Are Dangerous to People: Finally, with respect to the argument that sharks constitute a genuine danger because they often attack and eat human beings, that point is both inaccurate and simplistic. Sharks actually avoid human beings except where drawn to us, either by the scent of blood in the water or perceptible signs of physical stress, both of which they evolved over many millions of years to detect (Perrine 1995).

Ethics in Nanomedicine the Term
Words: 10726 Length: 40 Document Type: Term Paper

All these charters that have clearly defined the boundaries of what both the positive i.e. natural rights and negative i.e. The unjust exploitative rights of the people are and how no institution or research domains have the right or power to violate them (Dierkes, Hoffmann and Marz, 1996). Based on the above fact, we have to consider all the concerns related towards security of an individual as well as his

Ethics and Leadership Recent Waves
Words: 1204 Length: 4 Document Type: Essay

As a proponent of participative leadership, my sense of moral responsibility in business matters would find a solid foundation in involving my subordinates in decisions and taking their views and suggestions into account. Since relationships are the primary vehicle through which successful leadership responsibilities are carried out, then people and interpersonal competencies are central to their effectiveness. My success as an ethical leader is rooted in self- awareness, self-management, social

Peter Singer - Ethics Peter
Words: 2190 Length: 6 Document Type: Term Paper

Chickens never see the light of day nor set foot on solid ground. They are raised in wire cages no bigger than this page -- often three to a cage -- and thus are never able to spread their wings or to establish a normal pecking order. They are so unable to move that their feet grow around the wire (Spira, 2005). Packed confinement makes them try to kill each

Ethical Theories in Nursing
Words: 4777 Length: 10 Document Type: Essay

Nursing Ethical Theories Ethical Theories in Nursing Significance of Moral in Nursing Deontology vs. Utilitarianism Deontology Utilitarianism Justice Ethics vs. Care Ethics Justice Ethics Care Ethics Rights Ethics Conflict of Rights Ethical Theories in Nursing Moral philosophy has moved from addressing Plato's question of what makes the good person, to Kant's query as to the right thing to do, to Buber's concern with relationship. Whether referring to business ethics' interest in relationships between corporations and consumers; legal ethics' focus on relationships among

Ethics Sterba, James P. Three
Words: 1045 Length: 3 Document Type: Essay

Although Sterba might argue in the long run that the children of all the world's people will be best served by placing limits upon development, it is hard to argue that it is just and fair that members of the developing world may suffer fewer benefits from industrialization because of the developed world's excesses. Neither the principles of restitutive or distributive justice are really served by either example. The

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now