Prominent Scientists Sign Declaration that Animals have Conscious Awareness

Re:Prominent Scientists Sign Declaration that Animals have C... by diminoten on Tuesday June 18, 2013 @11:07AM (#5899635)

There is almost nothing that could happen which would make me feel poorly for eating cows, chickens, pigs, and fish.

The assumption here is that simply because a being is conscious, it is therefore special. Let's take away that assumption, and then work forwards. Of what significance is consciousness?

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Re:Prominent Scientists Sign Declaration that Animals have C... by bornhuetter on Tuesday June 18, 2013 @11:11AM (#5899659)

I think that there is a difference between entities with consciousness and those without, in that you can't cause pain and suffering to an entity without consciousness. In that sense, they are "special". But that doesn't mean we shouldn't eat them, just that we shouldn't be cruel to them.

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