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StSapphire

StSapphire

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So, I learned today that pigs exhibit some pretty clear signs of self-awareness, and are intelligent enough to hold abstract models in their memories, which are the defining characteristics of sentience to me. As of learning this, I realized that I can no longer eat anything that comes from pigs (ie no pork or other pig-based products).

I can't decide if I'm disappointed or not by this.

I'm partially disappointed because even though I'm not going to eat them anymore (because I consider any harm of sentient beings to be grossly immoral, especially merely to be raised for slaughter), I know I will still want to (because I like the taste).

However, it *is* cool that we're finding more animals that are self-aware and are learning more about the world we live in.

Who's That Sexy Swine? - ScienceNOW
 
If you fall into their pen, pigs will feel no compunction about eating you. Keep that in mind when worrying about their sentience.

Pigs are mean.
 
Bottesini said:
If you fall into their pen, pigs will feel no compunction about eating you. Keep that in mind when worrying about their sentience.

Pigs are mean.
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I'm sure there are parts of some cities where if I walked through them, the residents there would likely feel no hesitance over mugging me, either. My morals are not contingent on the "niceness" of those who may or may not be affected by them.
 
I think I will have bacon for tomorrow's breakfast! *lick* Personally I think that if one is raising an animal for meat consumption, death should come swiftly and with minimal suffering.
 
deafskeptic said:
I think I will have bacon for tomorrow's breakfast! *lick* Personally I think that if one is raising an animal for meat consumption, death should come swiftly and with minimal suffering.
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I agree, but I cannot accept raising sentient animals for consumption. I'd have the exact same reaction if it was baby humans being raised for consumption or dolphins or any other sentient (or even potentially sentient) creature.
 
deafskeptic said:
I think I will have bacon for tomorrow's breakfast! *lick* Personally I think that if one is raising an animal for meat consumption, death should come swiftly and with minimal suffering.
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This is how I feel. I have no problem consuming animal meat or animal products, but I feel that the animal should die quickly and with minimal suffering.
 
I used to hate sausage when I was younger. The smell was offputting.
 
deafskeptic said:
I used to hate sausage when I was younger. The smell was offputting.
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You know what is weird? I absolutely love to eat hamburgers and things made with it, but, I CANNOT stand the smell of it browning in a skillet. Do not ask me why. I have no logical answer for you, but the smell of it cooking makes me ill. However, once it's cooked and on my plate, I'll gobble it down!

Now, I know I'm weird, so you don't have to say it... :laugh2:
 
Oceanbreeze said:
You know what is weird? I absolutely love to eat hamburgers and things made with it, but, I CANNOT stand the smell of it browning in a skillet. Do not ask me why. I have no logical answer for you, but the smell of it cooking makes me ill. However, once it's cooked and on my plate, I'll gobble it down!

Now, I know I'm weird, so you don't have to say it... :laugh2:
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:giggle: you're not the only weirdo around here.
 
Oceanbreeze said:
This is how I feel. I have no problem consuming animal meat or animal products, but I feel that the animal should die quickly and with minimal suffering.
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I don't with most animals, my only problem is with sentient animals.
 
They say if slaughterhouses had glass walls, we would never eat meat. After seeing "Earthlings" - I understand why. I'm now a vegan.
 
Wirelessly posted (sent from a smartphone. )

Yep not too surprised about that. Pigs are one smart animals and they were trained to smell trussles underground in England. Pigs and humans have lot in common as well.

It made me think about the pigs dying every minutes in a slaughterhouse not far from here. Pigs are an Iowa's speciality.
 
Slightly O/T but a very interesting movie I watched recently was, "Temple Grandin". She is an autistic woman who went to college. Her main area of expertise was making cattle yards and slaughterhouses more humane. (yes, the words "slaughterhouse" + "humane" together seem like an oxymoron...)

Still, VERY good movie I can recommend. Not sure if it is captioned, as it was a movie I watched in my room. I can manipulate my surround sound system to put more sound at my right ear, so on movies I don't use the captions.

One reason I loved the movie is that it shows someone with a disability that is generally perceived as rendering that person as unable to do anything "substantial" in the world, proving the world wrong. The second is that Temple Grandin is a real person. Third reason is the theme of utilizing the most humane methods possible.

Sorry to go so off topic here. I am not a vegetarian, but I totally understand why people are.
 
sequoias said:
Wirelessly posted (sent from a smartphone. )

Yep not too surprised about that. Pigs are one smart animals and they were trained to smell trussles underground in England. Pigs and humans have lot in common as well.

It made me think about the pigs dying every minutes in a slaughterhouse not far from here. Pigs are an Iowa's speciality.
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Brown noses? :giggle:
 
LoveBlue said:
Brown noses? :giggle:
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And self-awareness. It's a rather select group of animals that can claim that - humans, dolphins, pigs, and a number of other primates. (There may be a few others that I'm unaware of, but to the best of my knowledge, pigs are the only ones who we eat, because most people are rightly disgusted by the thought of eating another intelligent creature.)
 
Wirelessly posted (sent from a smartphone. )

LoveBlue said:
sequoias said:
Wirelessly posted (sent from a smartphone. )

Yep not too surprised about that. Pigs are one smart animals and they were trained to smell trussles underground in England. Pigs and humans have lot in common as well.

It made me think about the pigs dying every minutes in a slaughterhouse not far from here. Pigs are an Iowa's speciality.
Click to expand...

Brown noses? :giggle:
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So we got that in common too. :-p
 
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