W6 - Eating Meat Norcross Flashcards
In Norcross’s opening story, Fred tortures puppies because…
it gives him a compound that enhances his gustatory pleasure.
According to Norcross, what are the discrepancies between Fred and people who eat factory farmed meat? Are the differences morally relevant?
- Fred intentionally tortures puppies, whereas meat-eaters do not intentionally harm animals
- A single person cannot prevent the suffering of animals by not eating meat
These differences are not morally relevant.
The argument from marginal cases claims that…
some animals have the rational capacities to the degree that some humans do.
According to Norcross, some (and perhaps all) nonhuman animals are…
moral patients but not moral agents.
Norcross concludes that…
eating meat from factory farms is morally impermissible.
According to Norcross, the Doctrine of Double Effect does not justify the treatment of animals on factory farms because…
the goods of factory farming do no outweigh the bad.
According to Norcross, why can’t the claim of casual impotence not justify eating factory-farmed meat?
- Given the amount of suffering caused by factory farming, we’re obligated to try to prevent it even if the chance of doing so is tiny.
- Even if our action alone has no effect, the actions of those we influence might.
- A morally decent person would not eat factory-farmed meat even if his or her inaction would have no effect.
According to Norcross, what justifies giving humans and animals different moral statuses?
Nothing
What response to the argument from marginal cases does Norcross not consider?
We are justified in treating marginal humans just as we treat factory-farmed animals.
Norcross thinks that our emotional attachment to fellow humans cannot justify treating marginal human beings differently from some animals because…
what outrages human sensibilities is a very fragile thing.
What widespread practice does Norcross argue is morally equivalent to Fred’s torture of puppies?
Eating factory-farmed meat.
What objection does Norcross not consider?
Humans are superior to animals because they are created in God’s image.
What trait did Aristotle believe grants humans higher moral status than animals?
Rationality
A moral patient is an individual…
whose interests are morally considerable.
What does Norcross think is the relationship between being a moral agent and being a moral patient?
All moral agents are moral patients, but not all moral patients are moral agents.
