Vegans and animal-men

My experience tells me that for every argument there is a counter argument, so the dance of arguments never ends. That's why I usually use another method of counteraction of silly beliefs. I try to find the gaps in arguments. I prefer to break down a theory by deconstructing it, rather than building a new one.

One way or another, I do not know the exact answer. But I know very well that the theory has gaps. And there is no reason at all, due to the lack of an integrated new theory, to accept an problematic one. And we all know that there is a need for millions of evidence to prove a theory as truth,  and only one opposing evidence to break it into pieces. Let alone the case of existence of many opposing ones.

Our subject is related to Vegans and their perception that animals (fish and poultry also) are human relatives (as brothers and sisters) and therefore we should not eating them. I would personally agree with them (except this ''siblings'' thing) if they were not so extremists, to extend their theory to dairy and other animal (eggs, wool etc) products. It is just too much!

As always, I believe the truth is somewhere in the middle.

So they say we are the same (humans and animals, fishes, etc.) just because we have eyes, brain, arms, legs, intestines, kidneys, hearts.

Therefore, they claim that they will naturally have a lot of thinking, judgment, conscience, feelings.

All of these beliefs are mostly related with the existence and good functioning of a single organ, the brain. There is where they focus on their arguments.

If a person or animal ceases to have a functional brain, then they may be slaughtered and eaten.

Without a brain, perhaps it would change species category and would fall into the category of the plant, which is allowed to be eaten.

This is a practice that can easily be detected to human patients with brain damage. The concept is the same. They are no more of value, except their usefulness as human parts. We are legalized to cut them trough (slaughter), in order to ''feed'' other humans. No ethics related with the use of a brainless body.   

Of course while they call animals as brothers, they forget that many of those ''brothers'' have no problem eating us or other animals or just killing us without even wondering whether we have eyes, brain, heart, kidneys, etc.

Do not get angry now and don't tell me that ''these are ANIMALS, how do you dare and make this comparison!'', because will I accuse you as racists (as vegans would say!)

Το summing up, they (vegans) are doing an analysis of the human parts and the animal parts and since the constituent elements are the same, so we are the same. All brothers or much better, all animals.

Their analysis, however, stops at the first level, of the organs and parts.

But there are other levels of analysis too. Such as chemical elements level (chemical compounds such as oxygen and hydrogen) that compose the organs of the first level of analysis. (There is so much carbon in a human body, sufficient to fill two charcoal sacks, iron as much as it takes to make two large nails, and sulfur that is enough for too many match boxes).

The logos* of beings and non-beings, or if you want a less mathematical and philosophical expression, the "way" by which these elements (''chemical compounds'' if you prefer) are related to each other, gives us the result we all know. Man, animal, plant, stone, etc.

For an extraterrestrial observer like ''The terminator'' of the homonymous film, all objects on earth are of different ''logos''. They are made from the same materials, but different recipes. Different logos.

Let us not even mention the fact that all these different ways in which objects (or say subjects or beings) stand up, implement a logical plan that requires logical design and, therefore, reasonable logical designer. A logic cook!

So, if the ''ingredients'' are the same, all things are of the same value (humans, animals, plants, stones etc). Not only humans and animals!

Vegans also talk about thoughts, feelings (e.g. pain, pleasure), sentiments (maybe). How do they prove that radishes do not feel pain when one bites them, or that they do not experience anxiety of death just before their eradication?

Maybe a different kind of pain than the pain the animals suffering, since they have another kind of "logos"!

Why the human logos and the animals logos are superior to that of cucumbers? Only, because they don't have eyes, brains, hands and feet?

They (vegans) start from arbitrary facts, which lead to arbitrary conclusions.

I would very much like to refer to the existence of nous** in man (who is leading the organs through the hegemony of the logical, the spirited and the appetitive*** that are the three constituents of the soul), I would also like to say few things about the free will, about creativity of man, about progress of human beings, in contradiction to the instincts of animals etc., but the topic started at such a low level that such a jump is just unthinkable!

Though, one thing I could add.

The fact that man has so much freedom, that he can choose even to be an animal! 

Epilogue

After all these above, I do not say, kill, torture, eat the animals. I myself can't kill a living entity. Even if it is a plant, a flower, an insect.

Since I am not able to create one, I treat it with admiration and awe! I wish I could live without the need to eat other logos of the Creation.

But if this is not feasible (and since ''I have freely chosen to be an animal'', alas!), then I will not distinguish between these "logos" (animals - plants - organic - inorganic matter).

Probably the only reason that allows us eat animals is precisely this. That we chose to be animals (and in the condition we are now, one animal eats the other).

Namely, the problem is not whether I eat animals or not. The problem is whether I'm an animal or not. For if I am an animal, if I have chosen to be an animal, then I have no choice. I will eat animals.

If we chose to be humans, we probably would not even have the need of feeding in general.

NAL

Footnotes

* Logos = the Word of God, or principle of divine reason and creative order, identified in the Gospel of John with the second person of the Trinity incarnate in Jesus Christ.

** Nous = the mind or intellect.

*** ''The logical, the spirited and the appetitive'' = the 3 parts of soul (Plato)