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The Forum > Article Comments > Embracing Life > Comments

Embracing Life : Comments

By George Seymour, published 11/3/2010

An ethical mind takes seriously the question of the assertion of their will over the lives of others, including animals.

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Pynchme,
sorry about my little dummy spit, though I wasn't specifically thinking of you (and I like reading your posts too btw).
There are a few issues on which my contributions tend to be a refrain, but they're seldom taken up. I'll have to a bit more nuanced; and not for me to dictate what people talk about :-)
Now, finally, I'm going to listen to that Background Briefing episode with Peter Singer (first chance I've had) and might have more to say then.

Severin,
It is a bit odd, almost like famrers use a different hemisphere of the brain for loving their pets and sending animals to slaughter respectively. My in-laws are cattle farmers and are rearing a poddy now (Sadie), who's to be a pet. At least farmers have to deal with the harsh realities of supply and demand--the incredible logistics involved in society's prandial extravigance. As in most departments, modern civilisation, the commodity is far removed from the realities of life; a thick layer of "techne" keeps us well and trully insulated in the abstract, apropos materialism.
Posted by Squeers, Tuesday, 16 March 2010 1:27:32 PM
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G'day Squeers: I didn't mean to be too self-referential either but nevertheless could only speak for myself. I really do enjoy your posts regardless of whether or not we agree. I like your emphasis on ethics too. I recall a post once where you talked about the way in capitalism, marxism and the like (or ideals really) disintegrate into exploitative systems because of human failings and a lack of ethics.
Are you a philosopher (apart from the sense in which we all are, whether aware of it or not) ?

Is this the Peter Singer item - Sustainable Living - you're planning to listen to?

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/bigideas/stories/2010/2837901.htm
Posted by Pynchme, Tuesday, 16 March 2010 3:00:38 PM
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Oh and PS - I didn't think of it as a dummy spit; but the way you worded it was pretty funny. So much imagery crammed in to such a short post. lmao - was good reading. Of course the exasperation was apparent so I just wanted to apologize for contributing to it.

Re: Peter Singer. (I can't listen to it just now). Will you give us a sum up of it? What's he say about animals?
Posted by Pynchme, Tuesday, 16 March 2010 3:03:54 PM
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I'd recommend everyone listen to Peter Singer at this link http://www.abc.net.au/rn/bigideas/stories/2010/2837901.htm (thanks Pynchme) as too much for me to summarise.
It probably doesn't pay for us to really consider the ethics of our situation, as to live ethically would be tantamount to us all donning orange robes and becoming Buddhists, quite literally renouncing the lifestyles to which we've become accustomed.
As for the minimifidianists, well, I defy them to find the flaw in Singer's logic. Our situation is ethically untenable.

Pynchme: Continental philosophy plays a large part in my research; as for being a philosopher, only in an interdisciplinary sense, and as a lifelong dedicated amateur :-)
Posted by Squeers, Tuesday, 16 March 2010 5:46:33 PM
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