--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One particularly poor argument in defence…" description: "\"“One particularly poor argument in defence of eating meat is that if humans did not eat animals, those animals would not have been brought into existen..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a15/david-benatar-19400_argument_one-particularly-poor-argument-in-defenc_3231538.jpg" --- # One particularly poor argument in defence of eating meat… ![“One particularly poor argument in defence of eating meat is that if humans did not eat animals, those animals would not have been brought into existence in the first place. Humans would simply not have bred them in the numbers they do breed them. The claim is that although these animals are…” quote by David Benatar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a15/david-benatar-19400_argument_one-particularly-poor-argument-in-defenc_3231538.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a15/david-benatar-19400_argument_one-particularly-poor-argument-in-defenc_3231538.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a15/david-benatar-19400_argument_one-particularly-poor-argument-in-defenc_3231538.jpg) > ““One particularly poor argument in defence of eating meat is that if humans did not eat animals, those animals would not have been brought into existence in the first place. Humans would simply not have bred them in the numbers they do breed them. The claim is that although these animals are killed, this cost to them is outweighed by the benefit to them of having been brought into existence. This is an appalling argument for many reasons. First, the lives of many of these animals are so bad that even if one rejected my argument one would still have to think that they were harmed by being brought into existence. Secondly, those who advance this argument fail to see that it could apply as readily to human babies that are produced only to be eaten. Here we see quite clearly that being brought into existence only to be killed for food is no benefit. It is only because killing animals is thought to be acceptable that the argument is thought to have any force.”” [David Benatar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-benatar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Argues that creating beings solely to kill them is morally indefensible, comparing it to breeding humans for consumption. **In simple terms:** Creating life just to kill it is wrong. Key Takeaway Reject arguments that justify harming sentient beings. Themes ethics animal rights life value Mood thoughtful challenging Type philosophical argumentative When to use this quote - dietary choices - animal farming - philosophical debate - ethical activism Key Concepts utilitarianism speciesism moral philosophy Questions to Reflect On - Is it ever permissible to bring a being into existence for a purpose? - How do we balance human needs with animal rights? A Different Perspective The argument assumes all life has equal moral weight, which may be contested. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animals Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals-thought-2196688/) [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Eating meat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eating-meat/) [First place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-place/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Killing animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing-animals/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Meat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meat/) [Meat Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meat-humans-6115109/) ## Related quotes > [Killing animals and eating meat have been significant components of human evolution that had a synergistic relationship with other key attributes that have made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-smil/killing-animals-and-eating-meat-have-been-significant-components-of/) [Vaclav Smil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-smil/) > [A human can be healthy without killing animals for food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/a-human-can-be-healthy-without-killing-animals-for-food/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“Like animals we call to each other," was the thought that came to him as he remembered the hour of love in the afternoon.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/like-animals-we-call-to-each-other-was-the-thought-that-came-to-him/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [I've always loved animals and I always thought that they were, if not better, then the absolute equal of any two legged creature that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-macgraw/i-ve-always-loved-animals-and-i-always-thought-that-they-were-if-not/) [Ali MacGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-macgraw/) > [I do not see any reason why animals should be slaughtered to serve as human diet when there are so many substitutes. 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It's like biting into your grandmother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/eating-meat-is-the-most-disgusting-thing-i-can-think-of-it-s-like/) [Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/) > [Everything we eat begins with a plant turning solar energy into carbohydrates. Everything. Whether we're eating meat or eating vegetables, it all begins there.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/everything-we-eat-begins-with-a-plant-turning-solar-energy-into/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) ## More by David Benatar > [“There’s such a thing as chronic pain, but there’s no such thing as chronic pleasure. ... 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Humans would simply not have bred them in the numbers they do breed them. The claim is that although these animals are killed, this cost to them is outweighed by the benefit to them of having been brought into existence. This is an appalling argument for many reasons. First, the lives of many of these animals are so bad that even if one rejected my argument one would still have to think that they were harmed by being brought into existence. Secondly, those who advance this argument fail to see that it could apply as readily to human babies that are produced only to be eaten. Here we see quite clearly that being brought into existence only to be killed for food is no benefit. 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