Morality Of Hunting

[OldhamLad 66]

To elaborate on the title,

 

This one always draws an intense debate at university, Usually from an outsider point of view ( of which I accept as we are all entitled to our opinion )

 

So I put it to you Gentleman to give me your opinion on the morality of Hunting ....

 

I look forward to your replies...

 

So just to sum up I am not asking about banning or un banning hunting simply your views on the morality aspect of hunting.

[ChrisJones 7,975]

It's as moral as breathing.

 

It's not right, or wrong. It just is

[OldhamLad 66]

Interesting view point,

 

Keep them coming people

[mhopton 807]

Food and plenty off it we've hunted since time began why stop

[OldhamLad 66]

Not really the debate im after but thanks for the input,

 

 

My question to you mhopton, Just because weve always done something does it make it right, Lets not forget at one time women couldn't vote, bears where baited in a ring and people could smoke inside buildings to name a few

 

Want to hear some philosophical in depth thought provoking approaches to answer people....

[cdo_karlos 29]

Is hunting morally acceptable? Well acres of habitat are protected by hunting-generated funds, lots of game species have experienced population increases due to modern game management, the economy is stimulated by hunting-generated revenues, also hunters, more than most citizens, care deeply about ecosystem.

 

Outsiders to hunting are primarily concerned about the pain and suffering and loss of life inflicted on hunted animals and about the motives and attitudes of those who hunt. They are offended by references to game animals as "resources." They are angered by the sterile language, and by implication, the emotionally sterile attitudes of those who speak of "culling," "controlling," and "managing" animals.

 

 

Anti-hunters insist that non-trivial reasons be given for intentional human-inflicted injuries or deaths, or that these injuries and deaths be stopped.

 

This is, in my view, a very reasonable request.

 

To be ethical, we must do two things: We must act ethically, and we must think ethically. What's needed for truly moral hunting to flourish is not just a change of appearance or vocabulary but a change of mindset, a deepening of values hunting for purpose not for mindless sport.

[paulus 26]

instincts are a genetically imprinted code for survival, morality is reserved for those who are in a position to consider it.

[danw 1,748]

these quotes sum it up for me.

 

Morality is simply the attitude we adopt toward people whom we personally dislike.

Oscar Wild

 

 

Morality is the herd instinct in the individual.

Friedrich nietzsche

[OldhamLad 66]

karlos- I really like your point about viewing game animals as resources, so true And yes as for the necessity rather than sport idea I completely agree,

 

Paulus- I absolutely love that statement, Does that mean because im not starving and have access to a local supermarket for my meat I should therefore consider morality and not hunt for meat?

 

Danw- not quite sure that makes sense to me can you ellaborate on that please.

 

 

How do you all accept the concept of killing for food, sometimes when I think really into it, it weirds me out a bit thinking about how what ive just killed is no longer there and had I not killed it, it would be going about its daily business.

 

 

cheers for replies keep them coming, your helping someone who is questioning the morals of eating meat and hunting for that meat .

[pie-eater 377]

Imo hunting is a lot more ethical than the meat industry even more so when you consider all this halal shite in the supermarkets.

 

Even if youre a vegetarian you have to accept there has been a lot of pest control to protect the crops that you eat.

[OldhamLad 66]

I think pie eater theres alot to be said about farming practises and where alot of the meat has been sourced from.

 

Really, which is better a pig thats never allowed to stand up or veal or ferreting for a rabbit that has a fighting chance and has been allowed to have a real life

 

In reality a polar bear, lion tiger etc wouldnt hesitate to consume us so why should we hesitate about to consuming another animal, surely its the most natural things for us.

[tomas87 18]

There is nothing better than eating something you have prepared, grown or hunted you know that it is all natural. The rabbits that we catch have had a better life than most farmed animals and as being hunted their is the chance that it will leave to see another day.think of it this way the way most if not all of us hunt is ecologicaly friendly no use of pesticides and if not the price of veg would increase due to the amount of crop lose. When I catch a rabbit everything is used the fur is tanned and the bits I don't eat are either fed to the dogs or ferret the onlyy bit not used are the intestines

[xHOUNDx 33]

Hunting has to be imprinted in your dna, you can't just suddenly wake up one day and become a fieldsman or woman, the skills used to catch trap or shoot our quarry have all been learnt through our family members before us which we carry on and then embed in the dna of our children, the fieldscraft used brings us closer to our ancestors than anytthing ever will, as for anti's they are entitled to their opinion but name me a time where a hunter has caused trouble or tried to interfere with an anti's life, hardly ever! Whereas anti's try there damned hardest to ruin it for us, hunting is a lifestyle and one that I'm happy to live!

[ChrisJones 7,975]

Personally I think we're reading too much into it.

 

I need to hunt, the same way I need to breathe.

 

It's like trying to argue the morality of why the sun rises and sets.

 

Or the ethics of the moon going around the earth.

 

It doesn't need to. But it sure as hell is going to do it anyway!

[Huan72 687]

Good thread Oldham Lad It boils down to intent I think, if your in a situation were your hunting for survival, no one not even antis, apart from the very hardcore would question it. But in the world that most of us live, hunting is not essential for life so we have the benefit of being able to make decisions on grounds of morality. We are part of the natural world, but we are blessed with the ability to examine these ideas and to converse about the meaning of life and the universe etc. Leading from this is our ability to use technology to tip the odds massively in our favour when it comes to hunting, which is were things start becoming unbalanced.

 

I believe that a wild animal has more right to kill me than I do to kill it because a wild animal knows no better, whilst I know full well that any animal I kill will feel pain and suffer. Having said that I do eat fish and meat but I only eat what I catch. So in conclusion, I am part of the natural world but also have the ability to empathise with other species and so show respect and thank the animal for feeding me, its something that I do for myself, funny to many I am sure

 

What I disapprove of is the disrespect shown to any animal, the killing of any animal is a serious business IMO and not be taken lightly. If I didn't care about the animals that feed me, I would be wasting the gift of higher level thinking.

 

A slaughter everything concept goes away from being part of the natural world.

 

All just my opinion for what its worth, probably not much then