Deck 14: Food Ethics

Question 1

Which of the following is not a characteristic of the industrial model that dominates our nation's agriculture and makes US farms susceptible to climate impacts?

A) It neglects soils.
B) It reduces diversity.
C) It produces too many different types of plants.
D) It relies too heavily on fertilizers and pesticides.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

People who don't eat meat because they believe it is wrong to do so are called

A) social vegetarians.
B) moral vegetarians.
C) pescatarians.
D) climate activists.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

McPherson argues that, just as with humans, it is _______ that it is wrong to kill animals because doing so deprives them of a valuable future.

A) plausible
B) unlikely
C) debatable
D) irrelevant

Answer 3

A

Question 4

In discussing his model essay, McPherson points out that one powerful way to find objections to a premise is to identify a(n) _______ that the argument for that premises ignores.

A) flaw
B) conclusion
C) fact
D) important distinction

Question 5

In discussing his model essay, McPherson points out that one way to object to an ethical premise is to identify and defend a(n) _______that conflicts with it.

A) fact
B) independently plausible ethical principle
C) conclusion
D) sound argument

Question 6

In McPherson's argument, the premise "if it is wrong to make animals suffer, then it is wrong to kill animals" is called a(n) _______ premise.

A) factual
B) conditional
C) invalid
D) analytical

Question 7

McPherson points out that one way to object to an ethical principle or explanation is to argue that it is

A) incomplete.
B) irrelevant.
C) problematic.
D) subjective.

Question 8

Salatin writes "Those who say they've achieved a spiritual Nirvana by being at one with the animals are only showing just how _______ real life cycles."

A) appreciative they are of
B) connected they are with
C) understanding they are of
D) disconnected they are from

Question 9

Norcross points out that due to vigorous publicity campaigns waged by animal welfare groups, far fewer people have the excuse of _______ when it comes to the suffering of animals on factory farms.

A) ignorance
B) being indirectly involved
C) not being responsible
D) not caring

Question 10

Norcross writes that the distinction between what is intended, either as a means or as an end in itself, and what is "merely" foreseen is central to

A) the claim of causal impotence.
B) any argument about meat-eating.
C) animal rights laws.
D) the Doctrine of Double Effect.

Question 11

Norcross writes that _______ consists in reacting differently to different features of situations, actions, agents, and patients.

A) causal impotence
B) compassion
C) ignorance
D) moral sensibility

Question 12

Norcross is unable to see any _______ the behavior of Fred, the puppy torturer, and the behavior of the millions of people who purchase and consume factory-raised meat.

A) similarities with
B) rational differences between
C) morally relevant differences between
D) problems with

Question 13

To claim that humans have a superior ethical status to animals is to claim that it is _______ to give the interests of humans greater weight than those of animals in deciding how to behave.

A) morally wrong
B) morally right
C) preferential
D) rational

Question 14

One may claim that the suffering of animals counts less than the suffering of humans because humans are_______, and animals are not.

A) moral
B) rational
C) emotional
D) productive

Question 15

The defender of a higher moral status for humans needs to find some property or properties possessed by humans

A) as well as by other animals.
B) more than by other animals.
C) to a lesser degree than by other animals.
D) but not by other animals.

Question 16

McPherson argues that it is

A) wrong to kill animals but not wrong to eat them.
B) not wrong to kill animals and not wrong to eat them.
C) wrong to be a vegan.
D) wrong to kill animals and wrong to eat them.

Question 17

McPherson posits a(n)

A) moral right to kill animals.
B) anti-complicity principle.
C) moral obligation to domesticate animals.
D) overarching complicity principle.

Question 18

Salatin calls himself a(n)

A) Christian libertarian environmentalist capitalist lunatic farmer.
B) libertarian capitalist radical environmentalist.
C) atheist libertarian environmentalist capitalist lunatic farmer.
D) Christian libertarian capitalist lunatic animal-rights farmer.

Question 19

Salatin argues that free-range farming is

A) morally permissible but wasteful.
B) not feasible in modern times.
C) morally permissible.
D) morally indefensible.

Question 20

The kind of food we eat and how we produce it is having larger effects on the planet in the form of climate change.

Question 21

When cows, sheep, and goats digest their food, they burp up methane, another potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change.

Question 22

Moral vegetarians refuse to eat meat because they believe eating meat is morally wrong.

Question 23

Philosophers agree that all suffering is equal: human suffering and animal suffering have the same ethical importance.

Question 24

McPherson argues that if it is wrong to make animals suffer, then it is wrong to kill them.

Question 25

According to McPherson, eating meat is wrong because in doing so, one is complicit with an industry that causes animal suffering on a massive scale.

Question 26

Salatin agrees that eating horse meat should be illegal in the US.

Question 27

Norcross says the majority of people would suffer damaging health effects if they eliminated meat from their diets.

Question 28

According to Norcross, any attempt to justify the claim that humans have a higher moral status than other animals by appealing to some version of rationality as the morally relevant difference between humans and animals fails to give an adequate answer to the argument from marginal cases.

Question 29

Norcross writes that moral sensibility consists of reacting differently to different features of situations, actions, agents, and patients.

Question 30

Norcross is unable to see any morally relevant differences between the behavior of Fred, the puppy torturer, and the behavior of the millions of people who purchase and consume factory-raised meat.

Question 31

To claim that humans have a superior ethical status to animals is to claim that it is morally wrong to give the interests of humans greater weight than those of animals in deciding how to behave.

Question 32

One may claim that the suffering of animals counts less than the suffering of humans because humans are rational, and animals are not.

Question 33

Many proponents of the moral permissibility of abortion claim features such as self-consciousness or linguistic ability as necessary conditions of full moral status, and thus deny such status to fetuses.

Question 34

The defender of a higher moral status for humans needs to find some property or properties possessed by humans as well as by other animals.

Question 35

According to Norcross, if we base our claims for the moral superiority of humans over animals on the ability for moral reflection, we will then have to exclude many humans, such as infants.

Question 36

A response to the argument from marginal cases is to concede that cognitively deficient humans really do have an inferior moral status to normal humans.

Question 37

Aristotle believed that rationality is what separates humans, both morally and metaphysically, from other animals.

Question 38

In Shooting an Elephant, Orwell is uncertain whether he should shoot the elephant.

Question 39

Orwell was sure he wanted to shoot the elephant.

Question 40

For Orwell, the incident with the elephant proved that imperialism is not as bad as many think.

Question 41

McPherson's essay is offered as a model essay, and he points out the stylistic features that make it so. What are these stylistic features? How does his essay exemplify each?

Question 42

McPherson points out three general strategies for identifying objections. What objections are presented to his first premise? How effective are these strategies in arguing against his first premise?

Question 43

McPherson considers three strategies for objecting to his second premise: "if it is wrong to make animals suffer, then it is wrong to kill animals." What are these three strategies? Which do you find most effective? Least effective? Explain.

Question 44

In discussing his model essay, McPherson poses two questions that can be asked about his third premise: "if it is wrong to kill animals, then it is wrong to eat meat." What are those two questions? How does he respond to them? Evaluate the effectiveness of his responses.

Question 45

What are the implications McPherson discusses in the section of his essay called "The Implications of the Argument: Veganism?" How effectively does he address these implications?

Question 46

McPherson writes that the second goal of his essay is to "give you, the reader, some important tools for developing, evaluating, and replying to reasoned arguments for ethical conclusions." Did he achieve his goal? Which of the tools he presented were most helpful to you? Do you feel more confident, after reading his essay, about writing an argumentative essay? Explain.

Question 47

Salatin writes: "Amazingly, the people who are so concerned about abortions in the third trimester of a bovine pregnancy tend to support that action in humans. Isn't that incredible?" Does this strike you as an accurate claim? Why do you think people might feel the way Salatin describes?

Question 48

Salatin writes: "The people who should be most concerned about respecting and honoring animals are the members of the religious right. Instead, these folks defend the right to abuse animals, to disrespect their chickenness and pigness. And they even applaud their own ability to find the cheapest food. I wonder if they think the best church comes from hiring the cheapest pastor." Respond to this quote. What argument is he making? What contradictory behavior is he pointing out?

Question 49

Salatin writes: "The rise of the abortion movement coincided perfectly with our culture's disconnection to the land." What point is he making here? What connection does he see between support for abortion and being disconnected to 'the land'? What is your response to this comparison?

Question 50

How does Salatin use humor to make points in his essay? How do you respond to this approach? Do you find it more or less effective than a more academic approach, as found in the essay by McPherson?

Question 51

Salatin says he has more respect for true vegans than he does for vegetarians, "if the issue is animals equal humans." What reasons does he offer for feeling this way? What contradictions does he point out in making such a statement? Do you find his reasons convincing?

Question 52

In Norcross's essay, what does the hypothetical discussion of Fred and the puppies illustrate? How effective do you find this example to be in light of the points made in the essay?

Question 53

How does Norcross address what could be said to be differences between our behavior and Fred's behavior? Do you find his points to be convincing? Explain.

Question 54

How does Norcross address the argument that one person's choice to stop eating meat will not stop animal suffering and therefore doesn't matter? Do you find his response convincing? Can you think of a counterargument to his response?

Question 55

What is the Doctrine of Double Effect discussed in Norcross's essay?

Question 56

How does Norcross address the objection that the suffering of puppies counts more than the suffering of cows, pigs, and chickens? How do you respond?

Question 57

Norcross ends his essay with: "I conclude that our intuitions that Fred's behavior is morally impermissible are accurate. Furthermore, given that the behavior of those who knowingly support factory farming is morally indistinguishable, it follows that their behavior is also morally impermissible." How do you respond? Has your thinking about meat-eating changed as a result of reading this essay?

Question 58

What are arguments from marginal cases? Give some specific examples from the Norcross essay.

Question 59

How does rationality figure into traditional arguments that humans are morally superior to animals? How does this criterion pose potential problems for the status of humans who lack rationality?

Question 60

What is the message you get out of "Shooting an Elephant?"

Question 61

How does Orwell connect imperialism with the shooting of the elephant? Can you elaborate on the few hints he offers?

Question 62

Why does Orwell say he knows with perfect certainty that he ought not to shoot the elephant? Why is it wrong? Why does he shoot him? Can you identify with the dilemma Orwell feels?

Question 63

How does Salatin argue that free-range farming is good for human health? Is his argument a good one?

Question 64

Overall, does Salatin prove that free-range farming is morally permissible? Explain.

Question 65

What is McPherson's Anti-Complicity Principle? Does it adequately explain what is wrong about being complicit in a wrongful act? Why or why not?