Posted by alexandra_k on March 2, 2005, at 20:19:10
In reply to Re: Animal Rights » alexandra_k, posted by Larry Hoover on March 2, 2005, at 16:55:23
> > > It would seem that one of the predicate assumptions for the conclusion that eating animal flesh is unethical is that adequate nutrition is available from a vegetarian or vegan diet.
> > It is but one consideration.
> It seems to be a core assumption.Suppose adequate nutrition was not available without us eating human flesh. Does that mean that breeding humans to eat is ethical?
If it is impossible for both vegetarians / vegans and meat eaters to eat a healthy diet and it is possible for both groups to eat a healthy diet with the addition of suppliments then it follows that there is no requirement or necessity for us to eat meat. That is all I need.
> > If we do not need to eat them to survive then I would say that that pretty much fairly conclusively settles that their interests far outweigh our desire to eat them (which would be a 'trivial' interest relative to theirs).
> As you say, that is the pivotal "if".But it is a fact that we do not need to eat animal products to survive. Witness the vegans / vegetarians who are alive..
> > > Some people may do quite well on what is statistically an inadequate diet, as it is adequate for their own specific needs.> > Once again, that makes a mockery of the stats.
> No, not at all. It requires that the reader understands the nature and limitations of stats.It shows that what the stats say we 'need' is not what we actually do need.
> In all America, I should think there are more than a handful of intelligent vegetarians, but only those using supps get enough iron and zinc.I don't think the FDA 'requirements' you site are an adequate measure of what 'enough' is.
> I was hoping that you, personally, would conclude that a vegan/vegetarian diet ought to include supplements.I don't know. Maybe we all would be better off with suppliments. Maybe not. Until the comparisons are made between people on similar diets who get 1) no suppliments 2) placebo suppliments and 3) real suppliments I guess we won't know.
I am not sure about how well we are able to absorb suppliments...
And I am still not at all convinced that those RDA stats are an accurate measure of what we 'need' in order to be healthy.
poster:alexandra_k
thread:461535
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20050224/msgs/465687.html