Should we stop animals from killing?

[IndianVegan]

I apologize if this is outside the scope of veganism. Suppose we see a pack of dogs trying to kill another dog, do we have a moral duty to defend the animal in distress? If we are in a forest and observe a lion chasing an antelope, should we try to save the antelope and feed the lion cultured meat instead?

 

[Emma JC]

I apologize if this is outside the scope of veganism. Suppose we see a pack of dogs trying to kill another dog, do we have a moral duty to defend the animal in distress?If we are in a forest and observe a lion chasing an antelope, should we try to save the antelope and feed the lion cultured meat instead?

IMO no

Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com

 

[IndianVegan]

IMO no

Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com

Why not?

 

[Brian W]

Why not?

That is the animal's natural diet and natural instinct and you don't have a right to interfere with it!

 

[IndianVegan]

That is the animal's natural diet and natural instinct and you don't have a right to interfere with it!

But what about the prey's right to life?

Also, how can we then justify persuading hunters to go vegan if eating meat is part of their natural diet?

 

[silva]

Omnivores chose their diet, carnivores do not. More importantly, humans have historically proven to be terrible rulers
A major tenet of veganism is that animals are not ours
It seems rather smelly in here....

 

[IndianVegan]

It seems rather smelly in here....

What is this supposed to mean?

 

[KLS52]

So are you saying that when you are out there just casually strolling along and you just happen upon this so called lion chasing an antelope, that you will just happen to have some cultured meat available to feed the lion so that he doesn't kill the antelope?

 

[KLS52]

Several years ago I was walking my neighborhood and heard a bird screaming. When I turned around, I saw that a hawk had caught a small bird. My instinct was to run over to it and try to scare the hawk away, but then I realized he already had the bird in his clutches, and the bird was likely already injured. I would've done neither animal any service had I tried to intervene. As disturbing as it was to witness, I decided to hurry along and let nature take its course.

 

[silva]

With their strong innate sense of needing to kill, the smells sighs, the chase of the hunt, we'd need more than just substituting food. We could put maybe sedatives in the food. Or maybe they wouldn't want something besides fresh meat? We could trap them and put them in cages!

 

[Brian W]

A "right to life" is a

But what about the prey's right to life?

Also, how can we then justify persuading hunters to go vegan if eating meat is part of their natural diet?

What about the predator's "right to life?" Wild animals know no better but we do so we have a genuine choice. Actually there is no right to life. that is just a human illusion. From a materialist's perspective, rights are not a thing because rights cannot emanate from matter and from a religious perspective, our life is a privilege to be thankful for, not a right. We imagine "rights" because we feel uncomfortable about the alternative. So there is a clear difference between animals and us and to be honest, I think you are just trolling!

 

[beancounter]

No. Predator/prey relationships, while they may be disturbing, are part of nature. Humans should not interfere.

A one-off interferance may not be a big deal, systematic interferance could disrupt the natural food chain.

Humans have already thrown many natural systems out of balance.

 

[IndianVegan]

@Brian W I'm not trolling and I resent your accusation. Very un-Christian of you! You're the one who started speaking about "rights"; why bring them up if they're imaginary?

 

[silva]

@Brian W I'm not trolling and I resent your accusation. Very un-Christian of you! You're the one who started speaking about "rights"; why bring them up if they're imaginary?

why are you even inferring that humans should be the ones to control other animals? Do you see us as the gods to manipulate others deemed beneath us?
"Rights" are like words, they're created to suit needs
This is hardly suited for a vegan forum

 

[FlandersOD]

I think it makes sense to first get human affairs in order. — [at-least to a certain point]

 

[Graeme M]

I might be wrong, but I don't think the question is anything to do with veganism in particular. Veganism (and animal rights) as I understand it is a moral philosophy that guides us in what's best to do when our actions affect other animals. Does that imply anything about our duty to intervene in the affairs of other animals? I don't think so. Perhaps there is some form of altruistic theory that might apply though I don't know of any.