Cruelty Quote by Charles Lamb
““I remember an hypothesis argued upon by the young students, when I was at St. Omer's, and maintained with much learning and pleasantry on both sides, 'Whether supposing that the flavour of a big who obtained his death by whipping (per flagellationem extremem) superadded a pleasure upon the palate of a man more intense than any possible suffering we can conceive in the animal, is man justified in using that method of putting an animal to death?' I forget the decision.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Praise of Chimney‑Sweeps” (letter), 1815
Lamb recounts a debated hypothesis about whether extreme pain can be pleasurable, questioning the moral justification of using such methods on animals.
In simple terms: Debate on whether extreme pain can be pleasurable, questioning animal cruelty.
Key Takeaway
Question the ethics of using pain for pleasure.
Themes
ethics
animal rights
philosophy
pain
pleasure
Mood
critical
thought‑provoking
serious
Type
ethical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- animal testing
- medical research
- culinary practices
- philosophical debate
Key Concepts
moral relativism
utilitarianism
sensory experience
Questions to Reflect On
- Is any pleasure worth causing suffering?
- How do cultural views shape our treatment of animals?
A Different Perspective
Pain may not be ethically justifiable even if perceived as pleasurable.
![“By the divine providence [animals] are intended for man's use... Hence it is not wrong for man to make use of them, either by killing or in any other way whatsoever.” quote by Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f48/thomas-aquinas-837_animal_by-the-divine-providence-animals-are-int_112669.jpg)
