What is the best argument for meat-eating?

[KristopherCussans]

I was reading an old post from 2015 here as to the best argument for meat-eating. Not many arguments were given and the thread went off on a tangent, so I hope you all don't mind another one of the same topic.

I've come to realise that to be academically honest one must criticise one's opponents best argument, rather than their worst or somewhere inbetween. Karl Popper advocated for this, and said if your opponent has a poor argument, find a better one for them, (paraphrased) it seems an epistemologically sound way to advocating against animal cruelty.

So what is the best argument for meat eating (or their oppression more generally)?

 

[Lou]

I was reading an old post from 2015 here as to the best argument for meat-eating. Not many arguments were given and the thread went off on a tangent, so I hope you all don't mind another one of the same topic.

I've come to realise that to be academically honest one must criticise one's opponents best argument, rather than their worst or somewhere inbetween. Karl Popper advocated for this, and said if your opponent has a poor argument, find a better one for them, (paraphrased) it seems an epistemologically sound way to advocating against animal cruelty.

So what is the best argument for meat eating (or their oppression more generally)?

What you suggest is a good debate strategy. I believe it is still taught in High School debate classes.
I've listened to several world-class speakers debate similar topics (via podcasts - I'll see if i can find them for you later.)

I am not going to even try to defend meat-eating - perhaps it isn't defensible. There used to be a website titled the Most Common Arguments Against Vegetarianism And How To Answer Them. It used to be a PETA page but it's gone. But there are some other articles that appear to be the same thing. Here is a shortlist

Eating Animals: Addressing Our Most Common Justifications

and

The 15 Most Common Anti-Vegan Arguments - Sofo Archon

This guy seems to think he has the strongest article against vegetarianism

The strongest argument against vegetarianism – Nederlandse Debatbond

And Quora has a lot of info on the topic.

What are some arguments for and against vegetarianism? - Quora

 

[Nekodaiden]

Survival situations are the "only" reason to eat meat, in my view.

Example: You're on a boat, lost at sea. Without food. Starve or fish.
Example: You're in an arctic region, during winter, with few trees and no other edible plants. Starve or hunt.

To be clear, I don't think it's possible to make a conscious choice to eat animals and still be vegan - at least at that point in time or for however long it continues in such survival situations. Motive and circumstances matter in personal choices, but not in changing definitions. Since I reject the UK Societies definition and embrace the binary one "to eat or not to eat" this is a clear and unambiguous distinction. I would stop being vegan if in a situation where it became necessary to survive.

 

[Second Summer]

MOD POST
I've decided to lock this thread - sorry. VF is a site that promotes a vegan lifestyle, and while I appreciate the OP's approach and attitude, this site simply isn't the place for this sort of thread. It's not our job to list justifications for meat-eating. Also, I don't want to attract trolls and give them a place to argue.