Plutarch on animal ethics

[Smitty-48]

Dogs and cats simply achieved special status in being bred to kill other animals for us, horses as a means of transportation.

You can't ride a cow very far, guard pigs are rather useless, and chickens don't hunt mice and rats.

It’s true, there’s no moral difference between a cow and a horse

The moral difference is that horses will go to war with me, whereas cows are milk and steaks on the hoof.

Horses are soldiers, cows are food.

The cow doesn't know what you are and doesn't care, the horse recognizes you as commander.

[Fife]

Horses are actually dumb as fuck (not as dumb as cows), but the point is well taken.


Pigs are smart; and tasty.

[Smitty-48]

Intelligence is not the issue. Emotion is the issue. Cows have no emotional connection to you.

Dumb as horses are, they love and obey their commanders.

Am I fiercely loyal to my fiercely loyal troops? Mea culpa

[JohnDonne]

You dressed a horse up and called it a soldier lol, it doesn’t know wtf is going on

[Smitty-48]

Pigs are smart; and tasty.

But useless for war. Pigs are smart, but they do not fight wars for you.

[Fife]

Yes, horses are very loyal and social. I have had a lot of amusement from unloading my daughter's horses at events where they certainly did not know another individual, but started talking up a storm nonetheless.

Dumb as shit and they'll get you killed if you're not careful; but social for sure.

[heydaralon]

My personal favorite meat is lamb. Beef is a close second. I am gonna make another corn beef St Paddy's day meal with cabbage and potatoes this weekend. Pork is third, and chicken comes in at fourth, followed by turkey. The turkey is the smartest and noblest of all the fowl, and domestic turkeys are known for their wit and problem solving abilities, as well as their quiet and clean demeanor.





Veal is also delicious. A veal parm sub is one of the finest things on this Earth.

[JohnDonne]

Does an animal have ethical value outside of how much humans can use it?

Does an animal have its own wants and needs?

[Fife]

Pigs are smart; and tasty.

But useless for war. Pigs are smart, but they do not fight wars for you.

Pigs are too smart for anything other than being made into bacon. Horses will do anything you ask, at least until they see a stick that looks like a snake. There's a lesson in there somewhere.

[Smitty-48]

Pigs are smart; and tasty.

But useless for war. Pigs are smart, but they do not fight wars for you.

Pigs are too smart for anything other than being made into bacon. Horses will do anything you ask, at least until they see a stick that looks like a snake. There's a lesson in there somewhere.

Same with chimpanzee troops, in fact, horse troops are reliably predictable second only to dog troops.

Dogs are the ultimate soldiers of course, which is why they sit at the foot of the lord.