21 April 2012

Culture and Felt Reasons

How does culture influence how people are moved by felt reasons?

Culture has a tremendous effect on how people are moved by felt reasons. The example that is most prominent in my mind is related to the ethics of vegetarianism and animal abuse. Many people in western society would agree with the following statement: animal abuse is wrong. People in western societies take offence against people who kick puppies, they criticise those people and take legal action against them. The people of western society, in regards to abuse against dogs and cats, are appropriately moved  but not appropriately moved.

Presumably, people of western societies would also agree with the following statement: dipping a conscious animal into a boiling vat of water and then slitting its throat, while it is still conscious, that it may bleed to death slowly is animal abuse. They would be appropriately moved if they took offence against someone whom had done this to a dog. However, they are neither appropriately moved  nor appropriately moved when this very same thing happens to most farm animals that will soon become their food. I think that anyone who is against the abuse of dogs and cats should be against the abuse of pigs, cows, chickens, turkeys, and so on. I think that anyone who is appropriately moved against the abuse of dogs and cats should be appropriately moved and appropriately moved against the abuse of pigs, cows, chickens, turkeys, and so on. Our society, however, does not share that view.

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