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Pigs are as smart as dogs. Why do we eat one and love the other?

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Re: Pigs are as smart as dogs. Why do we eat one and love the other?

#11

Post by sebastialonso »

jmccaf wrote: post #9

Pigs are also a handy source of meat. They grow to a large mature size quickly, reproduce in large litters with an early sequel maturity, and (like dogs) can eat all type of food, like the las vegas pig farm on restaraunt leftovers https://www.agupdate.com/agriview/news/business/pigs-part-of... Anecdote: my inlaws in Colorado 50 years ago used to grow potatoes for market and raise pigs for themselves. They showed me…

Uuuh...dogs can't eat any type of food. Everyday things like garlic, onions, avocado and chocolate, in no big a serving, can kill them in a relatively short time.

Please be aware of our little friends can and should eat.

Re: Pigs are as smart as dogs. Why do we eat one and love the other?

#13

Post by esperent »

juniper_strong wrote: post #10

There are places where it is allowed to eat dogs and forbidden to eat pigs. And I'm pretty sure the arctic explorers both loved and ate their dogs.

I live in a place where people eat dogs (Vietnam). Especially in the north of the country there are quite a few dog restaurants. But I think it's fair to say that a majority of Vietnamese people don't like this and there is a movement towards banning the dogmeat trade. I think there were new laws passed about it in the last year actually, although it remains to be seen if they will be enforced.

As for a place where you can eat dogs but not pigs, where is that? Most muslims certainly don't eat dogs, since they are considered dirty under Islam.

Re: Pigs are as smart as dogs. Why do we eat one and love the other?

#14

Post by johnkarahalis »

austincheney wrote: post #2

Pigs are substantially more intelligent than dogs. Pigs are almost as intelligent as primates. This subject ultimately comes down to utility. Until recently horses were far more valuable than dogs and horses are incredibly stupid.

Would you say intelligence is the most important factor when determining whether it is ethical to cause suffering? Is it more ethical to cause suffering to an unintelligent person, like a toddler, than an intelligent one?

Re: Pigs are as smart as dogs. Why do we eat one and love the other?

#15

Post by anfilt »

First it is hard to eat something you raised as a pet.

However, people have eaten coyote here in the states, and one thing is the glands can make the meat taste pretty horrid at times. If you’re choosing an animal as livestock you probably want the meat to be edible every time. Canines meat can vary too much because the various glands they have can effect the meat depending on how the animal was feeling.

Let alone the cultural issues about eating a companion. Like horse meat can be taboo just because that in a lot of areas.

Re: Pigs are as smart as dogs. Why do we eat one and love the other?

#16

Post by voxl »

johnkarahalis wrote: post #6
JohnHaugeland wrote: post #3

Pigs will bite off your finger. Dogs will fight a burglar to the death. Also dog meat doesn't taste good. We eat both in many parts of the world. Also pigs are kept as pets.

Are friendliness and loyalty important ethical factors? Is it more ethical to cause suffering to an unfriendly and disloyal person than a friendly and loyal one?

Why is reducing suffering ethical? When you squash a bug does it suffer? Most lie and say it doesn't, because the exact chemical signals aren't there, but if you could ask the bug it would not want to be crushed.

What about plants? Do they enjoy being uprooted and eaten? Well, there is no chemical process that we call "suffering" so it must be okay. But, these mammals you see, they're so close to us! And we don't like it when humans suffer. Even worse, most people hate when something cute suffers, even more so then a human.

There is no real greater ethical meaning here, just arbitrary lines drawn in the sand by people with strong feelings one way or the other. And yes, the same goes for the suffering of us humans.

Re: Pigs are as smart as dogs. Why do we eat one and love the other?

#17

Post by coldtea »

>Pigs are as smart as dogs. Why do we eat one and love the other?

Well, we don't eat people with mental issues either, or think it's OK to eat them just because they aren't "smart".

It was never about the smartness, it's about the utility (including being a guardian, keeping company, etc), breeding capabilities/size, and/or taste.

Plus customs. Some cultures do eat dogs. Some don't eat pigs.

Re: Pigs are as smart as dogs. Why do we eat one and love the other?

#18

Post by coldtea »

esperent wrote: post #13
juniper_strong wrote: post #10

There are places where it is allowed to eat dogs and forbidden to eat pigs. And I'm pretty sure the arctic explorers both loved and ate their dogs.

I live in a place where people eat dogs (Vietnam). Especially in the north of the country there are quite a few dog restaurants. But I think it's fair to say that a majority of Vietnamese people don't like this and there is a movement towards banning the dogmeat trade. I think there were new laws passed about it in the last year actually, although it remains to be seen if they will be enforced. As for a place where y…

>But I think it's fair to say that a majority of Vietnamese people don't like this and there is a movement towards banning the dogmeat trade.

Is it because most Vietnamese traditionally did not like the taste/concept, or because many today were affected by western culture (movies, series, etc.) focusing on dogs as pets?

>As for a place where you can eat dogs but not pigs, where is that? Most muslims certainly don't eat dogs, since they are considered dirty under Islam.

Well, Indonesia is mostly muslim, and they do eat dogs:

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/12/9/a-taste-for-dog-ind...

Re: Pigs are as smart as dogs. Why do we eat one and love the other?

#19

Post by bananabiscuit »

sebastialonso wrote: post #11
jmccaf wrote: post #9

Pigs are also a handy source of meat. They grow to a large mature size quickly, reproduce in large litters with an early sequel maturity, and (like dogs) can eat all type of food, like the las vegas pig farm on restaraunt leftovers https://www.agupdate.com/agriview/news/business/pigs-part-of... Anecdote: my inlaws in Colorado 50 years ago used to grow potatoes for market and raise pigs for themselves. They showed me…

Uuuh...dogs can't eat any type of food. Everyday things like garlic, onions, avocado and chocolate, in no big a serving, can kill them in a relatively short time. Please be aware of our little friends can and should eat.

In Russia, nobody knows that dogs can’t eat any type of food. The dogs there don’t know this either.

Re: Pigs are as smart as dogs. Why do we eat one and love the other?

#20

Post by austincheney »

johnkarahalis wrote: post #14
austincheney wrote: post #2

Pigs are substantially more intelligent than dogs. Pigs are almost as intelligent as primates. This subject ultimately comes down to utility. Until recently horses were far more valuable than dogs and horses are incredibly stupid.

Would you say intelligence is the most important factor when determining whether it is ethical to cause suffering? Is it more ethical to cause suffering to an unintelligent person, like a toddler, than an intelligent one?

I don’t like to cause suffering to anything. I am that weak weirdo that will capture flies and spider with napkins and release them outside.

Weak is not the best word. Soft is probably a better description.

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