DEUTSCHStefan-Andreas Johnigk
There’s life before death
From a biologists point of view, conscious sentience, personality and the act of play are not suitable characteristics when it comes to making a decision on the use and (specifically) on the form of use of animals by humans. Only a human perspective can lead to such a decision, and yet it is inaccurate in its definition. More important for the ethical evaluation is an objective assessment of mutual benefits as well as the possibilities to minimise the suffering caused. It is crucial to differentiate between an optimal relationship of mutual benefits - in the best case, a symbiotic partnership - and an ethically dubious exploitation to the detriment of the used beings and the ecosystem.
What about plants? In making a fundamental difference between plant and animal we are exactly as short-sighted and selfish as when we like apes but hate spiders. Whether we exploit a forest or a flock of hens: the way we do it is always decisive. The question is always: How close to partnership is our handling of our shared world, and how far from plundering? More…
