It’s been almost three years since I stopped eating or buying anything made from animals because I became convinced it’s unethical.
This wasn’t a conclusion I reached on a whim. It took many years for my mind to change. Most people think being vegan is a diet, but I learned veganism is really a philosophy. This is my first time writing about it, so for now I only want to cover the core philosophical argument for veganism and why I find it convincing.
What is veganism?
While it’s true that someone who doesn’t eat or drink anything made wholly or partly from animals is vegan, it doesn’t capture the complete picture of veganism.
This is a definition for veganism I’ve slightly modified from The Vegan Society.
“Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to avoid the exploitation and use of animals-as far as is possible and practicable-for any purpose, including food, clothing, furniture, entertainment, makeup, personal products, and any other items that use materials or ingredients derived from animals.”
The philosophical part of veganism is really about ethics. Like humans, non-human animals are conscious and sentient beings. They have individual personalities, desires, experience pleasures, and feel pain. Despite being a different species from humans, their preferences for seeking pleasures and avoiding pain should be respected and protected.
Veganism is about taking the most basic and fundamental natural right that we believe all humans have, the right to life, and extending it to animals. We shouldn’t treat sentient beings like objects.
I think most people think being vegan is a more ethical choice than not, but also that it’s not unethical to not be vegan. The difference is veganism says it is unethical to not be vegan. Why?
Core argument for veganism
Animals suffer in the production of animal products, and since we have access to sufficient alternatives that don’t require the use of animals to be made, that means products made from animals are unnecessary and the animal suffering is unnecessary. It is unethical to cause unnecessary suffering, therefore it is unethical to consume, purchase, or create products made from animals.
What do you think? Interested? See problems with it? Read the full piece here: