: That is a fine question, and it requires a thoughtful answer. I'd rather be able to discuss it with you face to face, rather than over a time delayed chat board which hinders intellectual give and take. Let me say briefly, however, that my moral worldview may have been influenced by things such as codified law and majority opinion (this no doubt affects all of us), and perhaps by the influence of major religions (I myself am not religious). The short answer is, it's what I feel is correct. But as I'm sure you can appreciate, I feel the way I do for very complex reasons, which would take time to both ponder, and then explain. Again, it's hard to do that over a forum like this.: My gut instinct when I see an animal in distress is to help it; I've felt that way for as long as I can. Ergo, I believe the human race would enoble itself if it treated all animals with kindness, even when doing so would deny us certain benefits, as in medical benefits. In fact, it is that sacrifice which represents the nobility and glory of being moral beings choosing mercy over cruelty, empathy over indifference.
: Forgive me for not elaborating further.
Well good! At least you have the depth to understand why I ask the question and the integrity to recognize the dilema a moral judgement of meat eating and animal experimentation creates. I've been over this many ways with different people here and only take them to task when I hear moral incriminations of this practice which is:
1. Legal
2. Widely supported by a massive majority
3. Supported in ecclesiastical terms - at least in most cultures
Using incriminating rhetoric to levy a moral judgement against meat eaters or those that support animal testing suggests that true morality is a construct of minority opinion. That cannot be true. If a person feels they cannot partake of meat or of the benefits of animal testing, they have every right to abstain from that and promote their values. But a moral judgement is out of line unless the basis of that moral code is something substantially larger than a personal opinion.
Stuart Gort
