Melanie asked:

I'm doing another Philosophy paper, but this time it's on the topic "Is it ethical to breed animals for
human consumption?" I've got a few quotes from Arthur Schopenhauer to point out that humans are
very similar to animals, but are there any other philosophers that I can use in this essay? I can't find
any!

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Let me be nasty. Do you really think all those nice animal lovers on the Animal Channel are
vegetarian? And don't you think sharks are beautiful, possibly intelligent, killing machines?

A human being consumes at least 50 times more energy per year than a crocodile, and western
humans possibly consume about 1000 times the energy need of crocodiles. This predator kills
generally within a few seconds, and lives for one year on the energy provided by one prey. What if
you waited lifelong in prison for execution of a death penalty?

I mean, killing to eat in itself is a way of life. Notions like GOOD or BAD are inventions in the ethics of
the dogmatic part of religions. Killing can be seen as efficient and beautifully performed, i.e. as a very
creative act.

That 's quite different from acknowledging that any society needs rules. If that society forbids eating
cows, and stimulates eating fish, that's fine to me. But don't look at long dead Christian philosophers
to explain such rules.

Breeding other animals for food is a wide spread efficient habit in nature, from ants to humans. Do
you plan to rewrite Darwin?

I suggest that you look at Animal or Discovery Channel for a modern view on things. And then you'll
be prepared to have a peep at Schopenhauer.

Henk Tuten