Dialogues on Ethical Vegetarianism

Worldwide every year, 83 billion animals are slaughtered on factory farms, at the end of brief lives full of suffering. Is it wrong to buy the products of this industry?In this book, two college students – a meat-eater and an ethical vegetarian – discuss this question in a series of dialogues conducted over five days. Issues covered include: how intelligence affects the badness of pain, whether consumers are responsible for the practices of the industry, how individual choices affect an industry, whether farm animals are better off living on factory farms than not existing at all, whether meat-eating is natural, whether morality protects those who cannot understand morality, whether morality protects those who are not members of society, whether humans alone possess souls, whether different creatures have different degrees of consciousness, why extreme animal welfare positions "sound crazy," and the role of empathy in moral judgment. The two go on to discuss the vegan life, why people who accept the arguments often fail to change their behavior, and how vegans should interact with non-vegans.This Second Edition also covers many new topics, including:Satisfying nutritional needs with plant-based foodsThe overall health effects of vegetarian dietsThe consumer costs of a plant-based dietSynthetic meatFood desertsChristian-inspired arguments for and against veganismProgressive-inspired arguments for and against veganismA new appendix offers readers delicious vegan recipes, including ones for Carrot Ginger Soup, Avocado Toast, Compassionate Chili, and The Smoothie of the Gods.Key Features:Thoroughly reviews the common arguments on both sides of the debateDialogue format provides the most engaging way of introducing the issuesWritten in clear, conversational prose for a popular audienceOffers new insights into the psychology of our dietary choices and our responsibility for influencing othersNew in this edition, several easy and delicious vegan recipes