Vegan Talk Forums

onyxch · Vegan Talk Beginner Joined: 14 May 2006 Posts: 5

Do you view the killing of an insect as the moral equivalent of killing a bird or mammal?

plantino · Vegan Talk Visitor Joined: 13 May 2006 Posts: 7

Although I include insects in my animal rights philosophy, I recognize that there are important differences between insects and animals such as birds and mammals. One, for example, is the fact that many insects have extremely short life spans.

The importance of this can be illustrated through the following example. Suppose you were in a burning building, and could only save one of two individuals. One of these individuals is a terminally ill patient who only has several days to live, even if he is rescued. The other individual, however, is young and healthy. I believe that the choice in this case is fairly simple.

Given the fact that the entire life span of some insects is only a few days, this is the same principle I would apply if I had to choose between saving a mammal or saving an insect.

Quote from Animal Rights and Vegetarian Ethics by Eugene Khutoryansky