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Onkar Dogra

Professor Gregory Graham

RHET 1312-06

31 March 2019

The Morality of Eating Meat

Since the dawn of humanity, people have adjusted to their environment in various ways

to produce a thriving livelihood. The harsh conditions of weather brought warm homes, threats

from animals brought weapons for defense, and lack of food brought the consumption of

animals. The earliest human nomadic tribes used their superior knowledge to craft weapons for

defense, which ultimately provided their groups with food. As humanity has grown more

advanced over the centuries, complex civilizations began forming, allowing for a prosperous life

for all. Despite losing ancient habits, such as nomadism, the one tradition that continued was the

consumption of meat. Even in the modern day, meat is considered by many as an essential

component of the human diet. While most support eating meat, some consider it to be unethical

and an unhealthy diet. Debates have created a polarization, as some believe it is an immoral act

that condones the death of innocent animals using cruel methods. Along with debates, modern

research shows evidence of meat consumption being linked to various ailments, and that our

consumption should be reduced. Although beliefs on the ethicality of eating meat are widely

diverse, two goals that are humanity should achieve include reducing their consumption of meat,

and killing animals with morally acceptable methods.

Most people accept eating meat as being nonconflicting due to it having been practiced

almost since the start of humanity. They often consider meat as beneficial and having no

drawbacks in personal well-being. However, modern research has dispelled this belief not only
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from a biological, but also an anthropological view. Studies have shown that meat does not

belong within our digestive systems. According to PETA, “Carnivores have short intestinal tracts

that allow meat to pass quickly through their digestive system. Humans’ intestinal tracts are

much longer, like those of plant-eaters” (“Are Humans” 3). In other words, humans are

biologically different from animals that eat meat. Unlike traditional carnivores, humans have

longer intestines that allow for a greater amount of digestion and absorption of nutrients. A long

digestive tract is especially beneficial for herbivores, as it allows for absorption of nutrients in

the fibers of plants. However, when an unintended food source, such as meat, enters the long

digestive system of humans, it may cause health problems from the tract absorbing a greater

amount of substances.

Furthermore, our digestive system is incapable of breaking down strong bacteria that

carnivores would otherwise do so easily. When eating meat, carnivores are “relying on their

strong stomach acids to break it down and kill the dangerous bacteria in meat that would

otherwise sicken or kill them” (“Are Humans 5). Herbivores do not have strong stomach acids

comparable to carnivores, so they would quickly become sick and be food poisoned. Due to the

inability to properly digest meat, humans cook it to kill any bacteria and pathogens present.

Along with meat being foreign and unnatural to humans’ systems, it is further proven to be

unnatural through the process of cooking.

Eating meat is not only a difficult process for humans due to digestive limitations, but

also dental limitations. While the digestive systems of humans create health complications, the

teeth avoid the consumption of meat. Our teeth prevent the consuming of meat due to the

specific shape of dentures that do not allow for tearing, biting, and chewing. Unlike humans,

“carnivores have sharp claws and large canine teeth that are capable of tearing without the help
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of knives and forks” (“Are Humans” 2). Carnivores can easily cut through meat with their sharp

teeth and claws, while humans rely on utensils. Humans have short, flat, dull teeth that allow for

chewing vegetables and other fibrous food, while carnivores have long and sharp teeth that allow

for tearing meat.

In the modern society, the great number of people that consume meat has resulted in a

high demand for meat. To accommodate the meat consumers, not only has production increased,

but the rate at which animals grow has also increased. Factory farmers have been able to

accomplish the task to producing “healthy” animals quicker by giving them hormones, steroids,

and antibiotics. From a supply and demand standpoint the concept makes sense. However, due to

these animals being consumed by humans it can generate health issues. According to Matt

Pickles, “80% of all antibiotics are consumed by the livestock industry” (Pickles 2). These

antibiotics are then ingested by humans during meat consumption, thus promoting the growth of

antibiotic resistant bacteria. It is stated that “more than 23,000 people are estimated to die every

year in the US alone from resistant bacteria” (Pickles 2).

While antibiotic resistance from meat consumption is an emerging controversy that is not

present in all countries, there are other alarming health conditions that result from meat. There

are various illnesses that are associated with processed and red meat such as cancer, heart

disease, stroke, and diabetes (Pickles 2). Natural carnivores do not develop illnesses, that

“humans can suffer an increased risk of developing due to their consumption of the saturated and

cholesterol found in meat” (“Are Humans” 6). In other words, other animals that eat meat do not

suffer from risk of any diseases that humans do when they eat meat. The risk of such chronic

conditions further demonstrates how meat is foreign and an unintended diet for humans.
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Some may argue that meat is essential to the human diet as it offers saturated nutrients

and vitamins not found in vegetarian or vegan diets. Meat provides humans with a dense and

saturated amount of protein and amino acids, which are essential to producing muscles and red

blood cells (Annigan 2). Meat is often regarded to as an “important source of vitamin B-12,

because, unlike other B vitamins, B-12 is not found in any plant- based foods” (Annigan 3).

Although it is true that B-12 is not present in non-meat diets, there are supplements available

which provides the vitamin. One does not have to make meat a part of their diet to gain the

necessary nutrients. Vegetables including beans and lentils are also known to be great substitutes

that provide a saturated amount of protein, and unlike meat it does not have any added hormones

or increase risk of diseases.

Along with meat consumption being disproved biologically, anthropology also teaches our

species that humans are not meant to eat meat. According to Nigel Barber:

Our chimpanzee-like ancestors were mostly vegetarian, judging from the diet of modern

chimpanzees that subsist mainly on fruit, leaves, and nuts, with a rare morsel of hunted

meat. After they left forests in favor of open grasslands, hominids likely increased the

proportion of meat in their diet—they would have encountered large herds of game

animals. (Barber 1)

In other words, early humans and their ancestors were mainly vegetarians, and only began eating

a greater amount of meat after leaving the fruit and vegetable ridden forest. Humans started their

communities as herbivores and only became omnivores one they moved away from the forest.

Humanity’s biology shows that they are built as herbivores, and their origin shows they were

once herbivores. Our species adapted to their environment by eating meat, and never returned to

their true nature.

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The consumption of meat is not only detrimental to the individual who eats it, but also

our species and other animals. Factory farming has developed a problem among the world as it

drains valuable resources including water, food, oxygen, and land. The massive raising of

animals has led to a poorer quality of water, greenhouse gas emissions, and loss of biodiversity

(Pickles 1). The farming “contributes 18% of human produced greenhouse gas emissions

worldwide… more than all emissions from ships, planes, trucks, cars and all other transport put

together” (Pickles 1). Such emissions make livestock farming a greater reason for climate change

than automobiles. Furthermore, the animals that are raised in factory farming take up resources

of food, water, and land that could be used by others who are in greater need. Matt Pickles states

that, “to produce one kilogram of beef requires 25 kilograms of grain…and roughly 15,000 litres

of water" (Pickles 1). If such valuable resources were “fed to humans instead of animals, we

could feed an extra 3.5 billion people” (Pickles 1). In the event that humans stopped their

excessive meat consumption habits and factory farming, the needy people around the world can

be fed.

Not only is meat consumption a diet that is unbeneficial to our health, but it is also

inhumane and conflicting with ethicality. Most people graciously eat meat oblivious to the fact

that “a life was taken and a life was lived that led to that taking” (Robbins). People do not think

about the well-being of such animals or the conditions that the animals are placed under. Upon

closer observation, one can realize that the animals live in confined areas and without humane

treatment. In the confinement “animals in such stressful, crowded, unsanitary conditions,

[encounter] painful mutilations like cutting off the horns of cattle, cutting off the beaks of

chickens, and docking the tails of sheep, pigs, and dairy cattle are routinely performed”

(“Inhumane Practices” 2). In other words, the animals placed in factory farming face brutality
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and suffering from being placed in small areas, being beaten, and killed slowly. Like humans,

“animals are sentient creatures whose needs and interests matter” (Pickles 1-2). They display

emotions, feeling, and have souls; characterized by their unique personality. Humans as a whole

should be aware that the treatment that animals receive is inhumane and unethical. Humans,

more so than any other species, display free thought and deeper understanding of the world and

ethics. If humans mentally placed themselves in the position of an animal that is in factory

farming, they would realize that they endure and suffer much cruelty and die an unfulfilled life.

The innocent animals die for the sake of humans’ greed and desire of pleasure. Philosopher,

Peter Singer, questions if “we are justified in considering our pleasure and pain as more

important than that of animals” (McGregor 2). Having established that animals are sentient

creatures and it is immoral to cause their suffering, it is further demeaning and unethical to use

another for one’s own self-interest.

Upon realization of the cruelty humanity inflicts on animals, many would come to agree

that despite their support for consumption of meat or not, it is unethical to have animals suffer.

On the other hand, many individuals would claim meat consumption as being necessary for

survival and not an ethical challenge. Drew Ramsey claims, “Mankind is often cruel to animals,

but Mother Nature is much crueler. In the wild, defenseless creatures like cows and chickens

would be subject to hunger, disease and predation” (Ramsey 2). He believes that humanity can

be cruel, but not as cruel as nature which leaves animals defenseless in a world full of threats.

Ramsey continues by saying that animals live stress, hunger, and pain free lives in the various

farming methods utilized by humanity (Ramsey 2). Ramsey implies that without humans, a

greater number of animals would have died, and that is not unethical of humanity. While Ramsey

is correct about cattle and other animals living due to human intervention, they still live in a
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stressful and painful world. Many animals subject to factory farming live in pain and stress with

the confined space that they occupy and eventually suffer through slow death.

While the debate on the consumption of meat is difficult to resolve, there are various

solutions that can be employed to improve the well-being of all. Firstly, humans should strive to

eat less meat to improve their own and the environment’s health. While making people

completely stop their consumption of meat is a difficult task, it is also important to preserve the

farmed animals. Consuming less meat will keep the cattle and other animals alive, which would

otherwise go extinct from predation. Also, by switching to a primarily plant diet, humanity will

be “combating climate change, soil, air and water pollution” (“Eating Less Meat” 8). Along with

consuming less meat, humans should not inflict pain on the animals. Rather they should provide

a quick and insufferable death to the innocent animals. By providing a life that is stress and pain

free, humans be morally correct and will give animals a life that is enjoyable.

The morality of eating meat is a dividing debate that continues through the years. Some

consider the consumption of meat as unhealthy and unethical, while others claim that it is

essential to our diet making it morally permissible. Despite the opposite views on the morality,

there is much that can be learned from both sides of the argument. Humanity should aim at

reaching the middle ground of the debate by eating meat in moderation and treating the animals

with care and respect. With humanity reducing their meat consumption, they can continue to get

their constant nourishment without risking their health and increasing their carbon footprint.

Furthermore, by treating and killing animals humanely they will live satisfying lives without

conflicting the human morality. By eating in moderation, humanity can increase its life

expectancy and further diversify the environment.

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Work Cited

Annigan, Jan. “Why is Meat Important?” SF Gate, 7 Dec. 2018

https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/meat-important-7213.html.

“Are Humans Supposed to Eat Meat?” PETA, 6 Nov. 2017, www.peta.org/features/are-humans-

supposed-to-eat-meat/.

Barber, Nigel. “Do Humans Need Meat?” Psychology Today, 12 Oct. 2016

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-human-beast/201610/do-humans-need-

meat.

“Eating Less Meat, More Plants Helps the Environment” Greenpeace,

https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/sustainable-agriculture/eco-farming/eat-more-plants/.

“Inhumane Practices on Factory Farms” Animal Welfare Institute,

https://awionline.org/content/inhumane-practices-factory-farms.

McGregor, Joan. “What philosophers have to say about eating meat.” The Conversation, 7 Aug.

2018 https://theconversation.com/what-philosophers-have-to-say-about-eating-meat-

100444.

Pickles, Matt. “The Ethical Arguments against Eating Meat.” University of Oxford, 28 Apr.

2018, www.ox.ac.uk/news/arts-blog/ethical-arguments-against-eating-meat#.
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Ramsey, Drew. “Do Happy, Healthy Brains Need Meat?” Psychology Today, 10 May 2012

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-farmacy/201205/do-happy-healthy-brains-

need-meat.

Robbins, John. John Robbins: Is It Wrong to Eat Animals? YouTube, VegSource, 12 Apr. 2009,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbVRugmzuDs&feature=youtu.be.