This post falls into a pretty common Internet failure mode, which is so ubiquitous outside of this forum that it’s easy to not realise that any mistake has even been made—after all, everyone talks like this. Specifically, you don’t seem to consider whether your argument would convince someone who genuinely believes these views. I am only going to agree with your answer to your trolley problem if I am already convinced invertebrates have no moral value...and in that case, I don’t need this post to convince me that invertebrate welfare is counterproductive. There isn’t any argument for why someone who does not currently agree with you should change their mind.
It is worth considering what specific reasons people who care about invertebrate reasoning have, and trying to answer those views directly. This requires putting yourself in their shoes and trying to understand why they might consider invertebrates to have actual moral worth.
”So what’s the problem? Why don’t I just let the invertebrate-lovers go do their thing, while I do mine? The problem is that those arguing for the invertebrate cause as an issue of moral importance have brought bad arguments to the table.”
This is much more promising, and I’d like to see actual discussion of what these arguments are, and why they’re bad.
Welcome to the Forum!
This post falls into a pretty common Internet failure mode, which is so ubiquitous outside of this forum that it’s easy to not realise that any mistake has even been made—after all, everyone talks like this. Specifically, you don’t seem to consider whether your argument would convince someone who genuinely believes these views. I am only going to agree with your answer to your trolley problem if I am already convinced invertebrates have no moral value...and in that case, I don’t need this post to convince me that invertebrate welfare is counterproductive. There isn’t any argument for why someone who does not currently agree with you should change their mind.
It is worth considering what specific reasons people who care about invertebrate reasoning have, and trying to answer those views directly. This requires putting yourself in their shoes and trying to understand why they might consider invertebrates to have actual moral worth.
”So what’s the problem? Why don’t I just let the invertebrate-lovers go do their thing, while I do mine? The problem is that those arguing for the invertebrate cause as an issue of moral importance have brought bad arguments to the table.”
This is much more promising, and I’d like to see actual discussion of what these arguments are, and why they’re bad.
wonderfully welcoming comment, @Jay Bailey! :)