Many people consider human beings’ position at the top of the evolutionary chain as justification for the exploitation of animals. While animals are undoubtedly of great benefit to human survival, we should not take them for granted nor treat them cruelly as they have as much right to a “good life” as human beings, in my view.
A good life for most people implies freedom from pain. This is true for animals as well. Indeed, research has demonstrated that animals feel pain and suffer when removed from their natural habitats. A caged lion, for example, walks back and forth with its tail lowered as a result of its stress. The fact that many animals will not breed in captivity is further proof they suffer.
However, while many would agree that keeping animals in a zoo is inhumane, they nevertheless condone holding them in laboratories for experiments to help humans. In fact, animal testing that leads to discoveries of cures for diseases like cancer make arguments against animal exploitation hard to defend. The same applies to breeding animals for food like meat and dairy products, or hunting animals such as deer when they grow out of control.
These arguments for animal use gain traction as the world’s human population grows. However, a wise person would realize that it is possible to live well without consuming animal-based food products at all; vegans do it every day. As for lab experiments, these are done simply for better cosmetics and soaps in the name of human vanity. Thus, it is clear these animals are being treated undeservedly cruelly and this must stop immediately.
In conclusion, humans can take advantage of the world around them. While this may involve using animals for health and nutritional needs, people should remember that animals deserve the same respect as any human and used only for truly helpful purposes.
Many
people
consider
human
beings’ position at the top of the evolutionary chain as justification for the exploitation of
animals
. While
animals
are
undoubtedly
of great benefit to
human
survival, we should not take them for granted nor treat them
cruelly
as they have as much right to a “
good
life” as
human
beings, in my view.
A
good
life for most
people
implies
freedom from pain. This is true for
animals
as well
.
Indeed
, research has demonstrated that
animals
feel pain and suffer when removed from their natural habitats. A caged lion,
for example
, walks back and forth with its tail lowered
as a result
of its
stress
. The fact that
many
animals
will not breed in captivity is
further
proof they suffer.
However
, while
many
would
agree
that keeping
animals
in a zoo is inhumane, they
nevertheless
condone holding them in laboratories for experiments to
help
humans
. In fact,
animal
testing that leads to discoveries of cures for diseases like cancer
make
arguments against
animal
exploitation
hard
to defend. The same
applies to
breeding
animals
for food like meat and dairy products, or hunting
animals
such as deer when they grow out of control.
These arguments for
animal
use
gain traction as the world’s
human
population grows.
However
, a wise person would realize that it is possible to
live
well without consuming animal-based food products at all; vegans do it every day. As for lab experiments, these
are done
simply
for better cosmetics and soaps in the name of
human
vanity.
Thus
, it is
clear
these
animals
are
being treated
undeservedly
cruelly
and this
must
stop
immediately.
In conclusion
,
humans
can take advantage of the world around them. While this may involve using
animals
for health and nutritional needs,
people
should remember that
animals
deserve the same respect as any
human
and
used
only
for
truly
helpful purposes.