Question 1

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?

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Question 2

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?

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Question 3

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.

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Question 4

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.

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Question 5

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?

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Question 6

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.

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Question 7

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?

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Question 8

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?

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Question 9

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?

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Question 10

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?

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Question 11

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?

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Question 12

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?

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Question 13

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.

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Question 14

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?

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Question 15

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

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Question 16

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?

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Question 17

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?

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Question 18

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

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Question 19

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?

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Question 20

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

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Quiz 14: Food Ethics