Eating Meat Essay

Premise 1: Meat eating in humans is a natural phenomenon that has been practiced since prehistoric times, as evidenced by human dental structure and some scientific studies. Premise 2: Not eating meat can lead to various health problems unless there is a thorough understanding of the nutritional needs of the human body and the person ensures measures are taken to maintain good health. This is not feasible in undeveloped countries, tribal cultures or other societies that do not yet have the advantage of advanced science and technology that aids in understanding the various needs of the human body. Conclusion: Yes, it is ethical to eat meat. ___ The question of whether eating meat is ethical or not implies an assumption of a universal standard of ethics, so whether eating meat is ethical or not needs to be addressed from different viewpoints. The ethics of meat eating is highly subjective—it depends on many factors, such as culture and religion. From a (general) religious standpoint, meat eating is not unethical. Most religions do not absolutely forbid eating meat. Also, there has been evidence for the â€Å"naturalness† of meat eating. As evidenced by some scientific studies (such as a quick internet search (http://tinyurl.com/a6mdk) will bring up), meat eating has been practiced by humans since prehistory. In fact, the assimilation of animal protein is the easiest way of preventing some health problems (this is not to say that meat should be a major part of human diet). The concept of a vegan diet is relatively modern and is usually only feasible in a setting where the people have, through the advantage of modern science, gained sufficient knowledge about human nutrition. So, the question should not actually be one of ethics, but of health, in which case, the answer is yes—meat is okay (as long as it is only a part of a balanced diet).