Is It Wrong to Purchase Animal Products from Factory Farms?

Introduction 

The animal production of animals in a factory farm and using such animals for food is one of the debatable aspects in the modern world. The opponents and proponents of this practice draw information from various theories that they use to conclude their arguments. In the contemporary world, the focus on a diet for a healthy population has undermined the importance of considering ethical concerns regarding the interaction between human beings and animals raised in factory farms. The central argument of this decision is that a human diet can never be complete without the inclusion of animal products. The ethical concern of feeding on animals raised in factory farms has divided the community into a group of people interested in understanding how the food they eat is produced and other demonstrating little concern about how the food is produced. It is morally wrong to consume animal products derived from animals grown on factory farms. 

Part 2: Ethical Argument 

It is morally wrong to consume animal products obtained from animals raised from a factory farm because it exposes such animals to pain and cruelty when getting such products. In assignment week 1, it is identified that animals raised in farm factories are built to produce products that serve human interests such as food. For instance, animals such as cattle, goats, and chicken are raised to supply human beings with meat that should be included in the diet. However, the extraction of these products compels the farmer to slaughter the animals or expose them to drugs to produce desired quality, thus inflicting pain to these animals (Mosser, 2014). Additionally, animals raised in farm factories have deprived freedom because they do not know the issues that exist outside the factory. These issues accompanied by the pain they undergo to produce the needed products results in a violation of animal moral value about utilitarian theory. 

The consumption of products from animals raised in factory farms can lead to the destruction of some animals for the survival of the desired animals. In most cases, animal husbandry has been associated with increased confinement of such animals exposing them to inhuman life. According to Logo (2014), the extent of living in a cared custody depends on the purpose of animal husbandry. Meeting this qualification indicates that most of the animals are exposed to human actions such as murder to create room for the desired animals. For instance, if a chicken is raised as egg layers, the male chickens are destroyed immediately; they hatch, leading to loss of lives. In situations where animals are raised as broilers, male and female chicks are confined in cages living little freedom for movement. The environment in which farm factory animals are raised is small and exposes such animals to difficult situations reflecting the immoral issues associated with animal confinement in farm factories and the consumption of such products. 

Part 3: Explanation and Defense 

Ethical morals provide a guideline on events that human beings should consider when doing things. The moral values play a critical role in helping people to make decisions essential in life events. Utilitarianism theory is one of the crucial aspects that determine the course of action that an individual should take in situations where they experience moral dilemmas in their obligations (Barrow, 2015). The utilitarianism theory, the course of action taken by human beings, should be adopted if they promote the best outcome possible (Mill, 2016). The consequences of work are assessed and measured based on the results, thus differentiating the wrong from what is right actions. John Stuart mill indicated that an activity should be considered morally acceptable if it promotes happiness rather than producing adverse impacts of joy. The pleasure should be for everyone involved in the action but not the performer only. 

The background information about utilitarian theory is applicable in explaining the reason why consuming animal products derived from animal growth on factory farms is morally wrong. In the previous section, consuming products for animals raised in farm factories is ethically wrong because such animals are raised in a confined environment without freedom, and sometimes it leads to murder. The killing of animals, such as male chicks when building egg-laying chicken, is one of the consequences of obtaining products from animals (Logo, 2014). The products such as eggs or meat promote happiness to human beings because they provide a healthy diet. However, the animal producing these products experiences pain and a lack of freedom that is important for both animals and human beings. The consequences of feeding on animal products raised in farm factories violate the expectations of utilitarianism ethical theory because human actions promote happiness to human beings at the expense of the animals. 

Part 4: Objection and Response 

The virtues ethics theory can be used to show that it is morally right to consume animal products from animals grown on factory farms regardless of the conditions involved in raising them. The primary argument of virtue ethic theory is that it does not recognize the importance of rules, consequences. Instead, it focuses on the character and kind of a person acting (Besser & Slote, 2015). The idea is not on whether the intention of engaging in a particular role is right or wrong. However, it is based on whether the performer demonstrates good character. This theory is applicable in challenging the views by opponents of consuming animal products raised on factory farms through the notion that farmers have moral character and will find mechanisms for promoting happiness on the animals. For instance, farmers may engage in activities such as extracting the food products following the right procedure without inflicting pain. From this view, farmers will have a better approach for eliminating male chicken, such as keeping male chicks in different cages rather than choosing to kill them. 

The argument that it is morally right to consume animal products derived from animals grown on factory farms based on virtue ethics theory is more theoretical than practical. According to Logo (2014), every element of factory farming is constructed under immoral and inhumane practices indicating that all the farmers lack moral obligation to the animals and the environment. The impacts of this decision are witnessed through various avenues, such as confining a large number of animals in small cages that prevent the animals from the happiness of movement and food limitation for animals. The animals are exposed to supplements that promote fast growth rather than providing such animals with food to achieve healthy growth. These challenges originate from the fact that farmers have profit motives, and they want to increase profits by compromising the happiness of the animals. 

Conclusion 

It is morally wrong to consume animal products derived from animals grown on factory farms. The consumption of such products exposes animals to pain because they are forced to live in a confined environment and experience pain during the extraction of the products. Utilitarianism ethics theory indicates that such activities promote the happiness of human beings at the expense of the animals. The focus on the consequences of social action when making decision justifies the argument that it is morally wrong for people to consume products from farm-raised in farm factories. Virtue ethics challenges this view, but it is full of shortcomings because human beings focus on maximizing profits rather than moral obligations unless there is the establishment of rules. 

References  

Logo. (2014, July 29). The Ethical Implications of Factory Farming. Retrieved from https://yes2veg.com/the-ethical-implications-of-factory-farming/ 

Mosser, K. (2014). Understanding Philosophy: Chapter 6. Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/books/AUPHI208.14.2/sections/fm 

Besser, L. L., & Slote, M. (Eds.). (2015). The Routledge companion to virtue ethics. Routledge. 

Barrow, R. (2015). Utilitarianism: A contemporary statement. Routledge.