Whenever a debate on veganism arises, there is a very high probability that the discussion will turn to lions.
Common Justifications for Eating Animals
If Humans Had Evolved from Lions, Should They Still Go Vegan?
‘Everything eats and is eaten’: false statement and poor excuse for choosing to harm animals
When we say, ‘Everything eats and is eaten,’ we are also implying a conclusion which is something like, “Therefore eating animals is justified because it’s natural.” But there are many READ ON
Why unethical plant crops like coffee, bananas, palm oil and chocolate aren’t a valid criticism of veganism
Some plant crops are particularly destructive to rainforests, indigenous communities and other native species as well as exploit slave and child labor. In discussions of veganism and animal rights, some READ ON
It’s Time to Replace Slaughterhouses With Greenhouses
One of the most popular justifications for eating animals that we encounter from the “ethical meat” crowd is that “livestock can be grazed in areas where crops can’t be grown,” READ ON
Wisconsin’s Faustian Bargain: Canned Hunting, Breeding Factories and Killing Fields to Save Wildlife
The hunting defense frames hunting, not as sport or leisure, but as essential conservation work, based on an appeal to fear, warning that wildlife populations will spiral out of control READ ON
Why Rare or Heritage Breed Farming is Not Conservation
The following is my letter to the editor of The Globe and Mail in response to their publication of the post, This sheep could save our bacon someday: Why farmers are READ ON
‘Hardly Ever’ and ‘Only a Drop’: Why Animal Suffering Is Not Scalable
How often do we hear it said, ‘I hardly eat any meat’, or ‘I only take a drop of milk in tea’? It is as if we consider that the READ ON
Manufacturing Consent: the Fictional Foundation of Animal Exploitation
All too often, farmed animals are portrayed as willing participants in whatever it is we want to do with them. By portraying the relationship between farmer and the animals he READ ON
Does Evolution Have a Gun to Our Head to Eat Animals?
We’ve published an excerpt from the book, Meat Logic: Why We Eat Animals by author Charles Horn, with his permission. The book takes an in depth look at the many READ ON
The Human Superiority Complex or Conflict?
This article explores the cultural roots of our belief in our own superiority and how it manifests in popular culture, as well as pointing to how might challenge it. In READ ON
Bio-Individuality & The Myth That Some People ‘Just Need Meat’
While the idea that some people “just need meat or animal protein” sells plenty of books (Blood Type Diet, anyone?) nutritional requirements— in terms of the actual nutrients needed— are READ ON
On the Claim that Vegans Are ‘Holier Than Thou’
Almost everyone says they care about animals; says they’re against cruelty; says they believe it’s right to stand up for those who are oppressed and powerless. Being vegan is simply READ ON
Does Saying Humans Are Omnivores Justify Eating Animals?
A common objection to veganism is the statement, “Humans are omnivores.” Yet, being an omnivore neither requires us to eat animal products nor does it dismiss our moral obligation to READ ON
Do Different People Really Need Radically Different Diets?
The concepts of personalized medicine and personalized nutrition have really taken off. People are eating according to their blood type, their metabolic type, their Ayurvedic constitution, and their genotype. Micaela READ ON
Why Plant Crops Don’t Kill More Wildlife than Pasture Raised Animals
Picture this: You’re a harvest mouse who lives in a wheat field. Being a mouse, you have excellent hearing and can easily pick up sounds that a human cannot hear. READ ON
Is a Concern for Animals “First World”?
In the Q & A at one of my recent presentations, someone pointed out that they’ve heard a concern for animals criticized as “first world.” Aside from the obvious prejudice READ ON
Should Vegans Have Vegan Dogs and Cats?
The question of vegan dogs and cats is one that is frequently framed in the form of the objection, But you feed your dogs and cats meat; that’s not vegan! READ ON
Seeing Yourself as Good Might Make You a Terrible Person
“So you’re saying if I eat a piece of chicken, I’m a bad person?” Many of us have probably heard this question or a variation of it before in discussions READ ON
Shooting the Messenger: Animal Advocates under Attack
If you care about animals and feel compelled to defend them, chances are you’ve come across knee-jerk accusations claiming you are “pushing your agenda,” forcing your ideas down their throat,” READ ON
Are Farmed Animals ‘Better Off’ Than They Would Be in Nature?
“Farm animals have a much better life than they would in nature” is a claim we commonly encounter. Fans of this line of thinking often present an either/or situation: either READ ON
