Difference between revisions of "MAR 30"

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(Created page with "==21: MAR 30== ===Assigned=== :*Workshop for Position Paper #1: What We Owe Strangers ::*Today's class has no reading assignment. ===PP1 Stage 1: "What We Owe Strangers" Po...")
 
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==21: MAR 30==
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==19. MAR 30: Unit 5: Ethical Issues==
  
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===Assigned===
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===Assigned Work===
  
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:*Workshop for Position Paper #1: What We Owe Strangers
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:*World's Largest Meat Producing Countries over time [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZO2TggxxOmU]
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::*Today's class has no reading assignment.
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:*Winders, "Introduction to Global Meat"
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:*[[Documentaries specific to Food Ethics and Animal Slaughter]]
  
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===PP1 Stage 1: "What We Owe Strangers" Position Paper: 1000 words===
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===In-Class===
  
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:*'''Stage 1''': Please write an 1000 word maximum answer to the following question by '''April 6, 2021 11:59pm.'''
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:*Reports on documentary viewing. Reconciling reporting dates.
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::*'''Topic''': What do we owe strangers, as a matter of morality and justice?  Consider both strangers in your own country and strangers outside your country. Draw on your previous thinking about personal "justified partiality" as well as your understanding of culturally evolved values to develop your view. Think also about the kinds of "goods" (economic, in-kind, human rights) we are or are not obligated to offer strangers, depending perhaps on whether they are in your community, nation, or world. Finally, try to use the theories of justice and other concepts and principles we have developed to formulate an answer to the question, "What do we owe strangers?"  Your answer should provide a well-organized and clear rationales (Logic) reflecting your assessment of relevant course materials (Content) or other resources. It should show awareness and engage some of the diversity of viewpoint on this question.
 
  
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::*'''Keep in mind''': 
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===Winders and Ransom, "Introduction to the Global Meat Industry"   ===
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:::*You are answering this prompt in the "first person plural" - we.  This is not just a statement of personally felt obligation, but your view about what we should all accept as our collective obligation. 
 
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:::*Your readers (at least 5) will not necessarily share your view, so you should say why your position should be acceptable to someone with a different point of view.
 
  
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:*'''Advice about collaboration''': I encourage you to collaborate with other students, but only up to the point of sharing ideas, references to class notes, and your own notes.  Collaboration is part of the academic process and the intellectual world that college courses are based on, so it is important to me that you have the possibility to collaborate.  It's a great way to make sure that a high average level of learning and development occurs.  The best way to avoid plagiarism is to '''NOT''' share text of draft answers or outlines of your answer.  Keep it verbal.  Generate your own examples. 
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:*'''Intro'''
  
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:*Prepare your answer and submit it in the following way:
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::*major concerns and questions: expansion of global meat industry makes several problems worse: environmental damage, effects on climate change, clean water, food insecurity, world hunger, consumer health, workers' rights and well-being, and (not least of all) the treatment of animals.  
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::# '''Do not put your name in the file or filename'''.  You may put your student id number in the file.  Put a word count in the file.
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::*Note: the ethical case against meat is not limited to the problem of animal ethics.  Some of the non-animal ethics problems can be ameliorated by not participating in the industrial supply chain.
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::# In Word, check "File" and "Inspect Documents" to make sure your name does not appear as author.
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::*Paradoxically, increased meat production can create food insecurity for some. 2.  
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::# Format your answer in double spaced text in a 12 point font, using normal margins.   
 
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::# Save the file in the ".docx" file format using the file name "ObligationStrangers".
 
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::# Log in to courses.alfino.org. Upload your file to the PP1: What We Owe Strangers dropbox'''.
 
  
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:*'''Stage 2''': Please evaluate '''four''' student answers and provide brief comments and a score. Review the [[Assignment Rubric]] for this exercise.  We will be using the Flow, Content, and Insight areas of the rubric for this assignment. Complete your evaluations and scoring by '''TBD, 2020, 11:59pm.''' 
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::*Global meat industry is a product of gov't and industry collaborating:  
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::*Use [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf1_WeGn0XsNxLPgHixmA88gbNp4lLcYxvxIs0bSEVLgHvP8A/viewform?usp=sf_link this Google Form] to evaluate '''four''' peer papers.  The papers will be in our shared folder, but please '''do not''' edit or add comments to the papers directly.  This will compromise your anonymity.
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::*Overproduces food animals relative to population.  
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::*To determine the papers you need to peer review, I will send you a key with animal names in alphabetically order, along with saint names.  You will find your animal name and review the next four (4) animals' work. 
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::*Creates dangers for environment and workers. (esp. from hyperslaughter)
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::*Some papers may arrive late.  If you are in line to review a missing paper, allow a day or two for it to show up.  If it does not show up, go ahead and review the next animal in the list until you have four reviews. This assures that you will get enough "back evaluations" of your work to get a good average for your peer review credit.
 
  
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:*'''Stage 3''': I will grade and briefly comment on your writing using the peer scores as an initial ranking. Up to 28 points.
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:*'''Global Meat Industry, 1960-2016'''
  
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:*'''Stage 4''': Back-evaluation: After you receive your peer comments and my evaluation, take a few minutes to fill out this quick "back evaluation" rating form: [https://forms.gle/KTSJLu11mi7ZHW8y7].  '''Fill out the form for each reviewer, but not Alfino.'''  Up to 10 points, in Q&W.
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::*Per capita consumption doubled from 1960 to 2016: 20kg/person/year to 40.  Mostly in Global North. 
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::*US has highest consumption by this data: 113.9kg/person/year (250 pounds a year! 4.8 pounds a week.)
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::*45 million metric tons (MMT) to 259 MMT.
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::*$65 billion to about $400 billion.   
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::*Note meat consumption increases occurred while population was also increasing. Population increase 1960-2016 3 billion to 7.4.
  
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::*Back evaluations are due '''TBD, 2020, 11:59pm'''.
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::*Note that US has declined from peak consumption, also some Europeans, esp Denmark, Netherlands, and French. 
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::*Increases in numbers of animals: 270% for pigs and 900% for chickens. Over 1.4 billion cows and pigs.
  
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===The "other side" of Justified Partiality: What We Owe Strangers===
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::*Meat exports: most from global north.  Asian and emerging industrial countries big importers.  ('''Meat consumption follows wealth increases'''.) p. 12: increases in China, for example, 3.5kg to 57.6kg, Mexico almost tripled, Russia doubled.
  
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:*Unpacking the prompt:
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:*'''How did global meat grow so much?'''
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::*The "goods" -- that typically occupy discussions of Justice or Beneficence. 
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::*Increases in feed grains.  Now more global feed grain production than food grain production (rice and wheat). Along with ag tech to put more land into production, GE corn and soybeans increased yields.
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:::*'''Economic justice''' -- Are there economic outcomes in a society or in the world that would be fundamentally unfair or unjust?  Should we think of Rawls "veil of ignorance" on a global level?
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::*Concentration of processing produced scaling up.  Read from p. 15.  (Recall Maureen Ogle's history chapter.)
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:::*'''Aid''' -- Some argue that valuing human dignity obligates us to provide direct aid in some circumstances, such as disaster relief.  Others go further, and argue that we are obligated to help the "bottom billion" to develop productive economies. Are these just good things to do and not obligatory or are they obligations?
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::*WTO - promotes free trade agreements for meat import/export.   
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:::*'''Promotion of rights and anti-discrimination''' -- Typically, people who feel that "rights promotion" is an international obligation of justice advocate for their government to use foreign policy to promote rights.  Others might argue that that could involve interfering with another culture or countries' sovereignty.  Does your position obligate you to promote rights and and anti-discrimination in your society and/or globally?
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::*former communist countries became markets.
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::*increased corporate concentration.  both production and processing. 
  
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::*"Strangers in your own community, nation, world" -- You may have different principles or degrees of obligation for different types of strangers. For example, you may not believe obligations to promote justice go beyond borders, but you might still believe that personal or collective beneficence is a good thing.  Or, you may address all of these groups with the same theory of obligation.
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:*'''Consequences of global meat for consideration'''
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::*1. Corporate concentration - Global food corporations exert significant power over farmers and national governments. Many poor countries with food insecurity export meat to wealthier countries.   
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::*2. Tension bt. cheap meat and food insecurity - Smallholder meat production in decline from competition.
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::*3. Social and environmental injustice. Many environmental effects of meat production fall disproportionately on poor countries and poor within rich countries.
  
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::*"Draw on your previous thinking about justified personal paritiality"  -- For some of you, this earlier work may set a "baseline" for thinking about obligations to strangers.  Consider the positions we outlined during last class: '''Tribalism, Post-tribal Urbanism, Utilitarian Globalism, Extreme Altruism'''.  You may want to use versions of these in your position.
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===Age of Slaughter vs. Natural Life Span===
  
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::*"Use your understanding of culturally evolved values" -- We have been studying the origins and value of cooperation, as well as psychological adaptations of WEIRD culture, such as impersonal prosociality, impartiality in rules, and other traits that seem to orient our obligations away from kin and friends.  There is some evidence that these psychological adaptations facilitate markets and some forms of justice.  If you endorse these aspects of WEIRD culture, you may draw on them in thinking about your obligations to strangers.  "Post-tribal Urbanism" is an example of this.  We have also studied two theories (Haidt and Hibbing) that help us think about standing challenges we face as a social species. These are all resources you may select from and make use of depending upon your concerns.
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:*In thinking about the research on animal awareness and consciousness, we are becoming more sensitive to the idea that animals are indeed aware of their lives, many form friendships, have strong individual preferences, and can understand more about what is going on around them than we used to think.
  
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::*Draw on "theories of justice and other concepts" --
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:*Note that the more symmetrically you see animal and human interests, the more likely this information is to be problematic.
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:::*Motivational resources: self-interest and altruism.   
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:::*Theoretical resources:
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:*Pigs: Slaughtered at 6 months old; Natural life span: 6 to 10 years  [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VI2q_GymU_Q Farmaggedon segment on China pig farms] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRpP7XyFOcs Outdoor pig farming] - this video has a neat historical segment.
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::::*'''Rawls' Theory of Justice''' -- which addresses both rights and economic justice.
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:*Chickens: Slaughtered at 6 weeks old; Natural life span: 5 to 8 years for those birds bred as "egg layers" such as Rhode Island Reds; 1 to 4 years for factory layer breeds such as leghorns; and 1 to 3 years for "meat" breeds.
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::::*'''Duty to an ideal'''.  This could be a Kantian ideal of supporting reason and autonomy in others, or it could be a more traditional ideal about human dignity and the importance of supporting human life.  You may certainly draw on values from your faith commitments and life experience, but try to explicate them in ways that might be attractive to those who do not share your particular faith.
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:*Hens lay eggs up to 6 to 7 years.   
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::::*'''Virtue Ethics''' -- Promoting human virtues may require specific sorts of aid or support.
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:*Turkeys: Slaughtered at 5 to 6 months old; Natural life span: 2 to 6 years
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:::*'''Utilitarianism''' -- The principle of utility has several theoretical virtues.  For meeting acute human needs, it gives us a way of prioritizing need and calculating benefits. Accepting the "equal happiness" principle allows you to compare goods globally (a latte vs. saving a life). 
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:*Ducks/Geese: Slaughtered at 7 to 8 weeks old; Natural life span: domestic ducks: 6 to 8 years; geese from 8 to 15 years.
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:::*'''Libertarianism''' -- A good starting point if you feel very minimal "collective" obligations (such as through taxation), but don't forget that Liberatarians answer questions of personal charity and beneficence just like everyone else.
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:*Cattle: “Beef” cattle slaughtered at 18 months old;
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:*Dairy cows slaughtered at 4 to 5 years old; Natural life span: 18 to 25+ years
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:*Veal Calves: Slaughtered at 16 weeks old; Natural life span: 18 to 25+ years
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:*Goats: Slaughtered at 3 to 5 months old; Natural life span: 12 to 14 years
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:*Rabbits: Slaughtered at 10 to 12 weeks old; Natural life span: 8 to 12+ years
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:*Lambs: Slaughtered at 6 to 8 weeks old for “young lamb” and under 1 year for all other; Natural life span: 12 to 14 years
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:*Horses/Donkeys: Slaughter age varies; Natural life span: 30 to 40 years

Revision as of 21:04, 30 March 2022

19. MAR 30: Unit 5: Ethical Issues

Assigned Work

In-Class

  • Reports on documentary viewing. Reconciling reporting dates.

Winders and Ransom, "Introduction to the Global Meat Industry"

  • Intro
  • major concerns and questions: expansion of global meat industry makes several problems worse: environmental damage, effects on climate change, clean water, food insecurity, world hunger, consumer health, workers' rights and well-being, and (not least of all) the treatment of animals.
  • Note: the ethical case against meat is not limited to the problem of animal ethics. Some of the non-animal ethics problems can be ameliorated by not participating in the industrial supply chain.
  • Paradoxically, increased meat production can create food insecurity for some. 2.
  • Global meat industry is a product of gov't and industry collaborating:
  • Overproduces food animals relative to population.
  • Creates dangers for environment and workers. (esp. from hyperslaughter)
  • Global Meat Industry, 1960-2016
  • Per capita consumption doubled from 1960 to 2016: 20kg/person/year to 40. Mostly in Global North.
  • US has highest consumption by this data: 113.9kg/person/year (250 pounds a year! 4.8 pounds a week.)
  • 45 million metric tons (MMT) to 259 MMT.
  • $65 billion to about $400 billion.
  • Note meat consumption increases occurred while population was also increasing. Population increase 1960-2016 3 billion to 7.4.
  • Note that US has declined from peak consumption, also some Europeans, esp Denmark, Netherlands, and French.
  • Increases in numbers of animals: 270% for pigs and 900% for chickens. Over 1.4 billion cows and pigs.
  • Meat exports: most from global north. Asian and emerging industrial countries big importers. (Meat consumption follows wealth increases.) p. 12: increases in China, for example, 3.5kg to 57.6kg, Mexico almost tripled, Russia doubled.
  • How did global meat grow so much?
  • Increases in feed grains. Now more global feed grain production than food grain production (rice and wheat). Along with ag tech to put more land into production, GE corn and soybeans increased yields.
  • Concentration of processing produced scaling up. Read from p. 15. (Recall Maureen Ogle's history chapter.)
  • WTO - promotes free trade agreements for meat import/export.
  • former communist countries became markets.
  • increased corporate concentration. both production and processing.
  • Consequences of global meat for consideration
  • 1. Corporate concentration - Global food corporations exert significant power over farmers and national governments. Many poor countries with food insecurity export meat to wealthier countries.
  • 2. Tension bt. cheap meat and food insecurity - Smallholder meat production in decline from competition.
  • 3. Social and environmental injustice. Many environmental effects of meat production fall disproportionately on poor countries and poor within rich countries.

Age of Slaughter vs. Natural Life Span

  • In thinking about the research on animal awareness and consciousness, we are becoming more sensitive to the idea that animals are indeed aware of their lives, many form friendships, have strong individual preferences, and can understand more about what is going on around them than we used to think.
  • Note that the more symmetrically you see animal and human interests, the more likely this information is to be problematic.
  • Pigs: Slaughtered at 6 months old; Natural life span: 6 to 10 years Farmaggedon segment on China pig farms Outdoor pig farming - this video has a neat historical segment.
  • Chickens: Slaughtered at 6 weeks old; Natural life span: 5 to 8 years for those birds bred as "egg layers" such as Rhode Island Reds; 1 to 4 years for factory layer breeds such as leghorns; and 1 to 3 years for "meat" breeds.
  • Hens lay eggs up to 6 to 7 years.
  • Turkeys: Slaughtered at 5 to 6 months old; Natural life span: 2 to 6 years
  • Ducks/Geese: Slaughtered at 7 to 8 weeks old; Natural life span: domestic ducks: 6 to 8 years; geese from 8 to 15 years.
  • Cattle: “Beef” cattle slaughtered at 18 months old;
  • Dairy cows slaughtered at 4 to 5 years old; Natural life span: 18 to 25+ years
  • Veal Calves: Slaughtered at 16 weeks old; Natural life span: 18 to 25+ years
  • Goats: Slaughtered at 3 to 5 months old; Natural life span: 12 to 14 years
  • Rabbits: Slaughtered at 10 to 12 weeks old; Natural life span: 8 to 12+ years
  • Lambs: Slaughtered at 6 to 8 weeks old for “young lamb” and under 1 year for all other; Natural life span: 12 to 14 years
  • Horses/Donkeys: Slaughter age varies; Natural life span: 30 to 40 years
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