Veganism as a Moral Imperative?

[Carolyn Bailey]

What does this statement mean to you? "Veganism is a Moral Imperative". Whether you think that veganism is actually a moral imperative, or not, is the tactical question a good one? 

Veganism as a Moral Imperative?

 Tim Gier

 

 

If you have spent any time online talking to vegans, you’ve undoubtedly heard that “veganism is a moral imperative”. I take exception to the idea of “veganism as a moral imperative”, primarily for two reasons.

One reason is that I think the notion of something being a moral imperative is very controversial and rests upon assumptions about moral facts that I think are problematic. But that’s a philosophical objection that I won’t take the time to develop here.

The second reason I take exception to the idea of “veganism as a moral imperative” is that,  on the purely practical and tactical levels it seems to me to be counter-productive.

I believe that most people do not like to be told that their actions are immoral (especially when they act in the same ways as most other people act). I also believe that most people think that vegans (as well as vegetarians) conceive of themselves as morally superior to non-vegans. Therefore, it seems to me that when we frame the issue as one of a “moral imperative” it is more likely than not to have the effect of turning more people away from the consideration of other animals as beings to whom humans have direct duties.

So, whether there is something that is a moral imperative or not (and as I said, it’s not at all clear that there is), it seems to me that if we want to make the most change in the quickest way possible, we shouldn’t base our outreach on the claim that “veganism is a moral imperative”.

 

tim gier

http://timgier.com/2012/07/12/veganism-as-a-moral-imperative/