Moral Status of Animals and Vegetarianism

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1.0 Introduction

The moral status of animals is the arrangement of the organism in a moral hierarchy where the
lowest category does not require any moral consideration. At the same time, the topmost group
deserves more moral consideration. Not eating meat or fish due to religion, health, or moral
reason is called vegetarianism. This essay seeks to explore the linkage between the moral status
of animals and vegetarianism.

2.0 The link between moral status of animals and vegetarianism

Philosophers seek to explain the moral status of animals by classifying the animals into various
groups. Organisms that have developed awareness of their existence and prefer to have a
continuity of existence are regarded as sentient organisms. The organisms in this niche deserve
full moral consideration due to reasons like pleasure and pain experience, knowledge of their
existence, and mostly prefer to stay alive. Examples of organisms here are humans and higher
animals. The category of animals that do not deserve any moral consideration is known as
inanimate animals. They can have bad treatment because they lack a sense of feeling, and
nothing matters to them. Insects and plants fall into this category (Lindsay, 2017).

Vegetarians consume plant-based foods for their health reasons or as a source of enjoyment.
Some vegetarians eat food products from animals, while some completely abstain from animal
products. Vegans are types of vegetarians who stay away from animal products completely. The
relationship between the moral status of animals and vegetarianism is they both perceive moral
obligation surrounding their phenomenon. Moral status seeks to develop the morality of living
things through awareness of their existence, while vegetarianism seeks to have moral status over
animal food. Therefore, the link exists because they look at animals as the source of their moral
status (Wolfram, 2018).

3.0 Conclusion

The link between animals' moral status and vegetarianism exists because they perceive animals
as the source of their moral status. Animals should be shown full moral consideration because
they are aware of their existence. At the same time, vegetarians have a moral obligation not to
consume animal or their products because of their principles.
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References

Lindsay, R. A. (2017). Animals, Moral Status, and the Objectives of Morality. Think, 16(47),
33–43. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1477175617000197

Wolfram, T. (2018, October 1). Vegetarianism The Basic Facts. Eat Right.
https://www.eatright.org/food/nutrition/vegetarian-and-special-diets/vegetarianism-the-
basic-facts.