Human beings have been looking for the least bad way
The WeiLiZhuYi like simple dichotomy, not right is wrong, but experience more emphasis on the evolution of the traditional liberals that human civilization has been searching for the "not bad" way.
Buddha, Plato, Lao tze are vegetarian, they express a philosophical to good pursuit. But in human history, and the foreseeable quite a long period of time, humans are not be completely do vegetarian. When the inevitable killing animals, we also can choose the least bad way, and, with the advance of the human civilization, we treat animals of civilization degree appreciate.
Since modern times, with the development of scientific technology, supplies the extent of the shortage has been greatly ease, which makes humans can give up on some of the animals of the killing, and will use the scope of the animals shrink to a small area, there are also of the requirements of the civilization of the more treatment.
In 1822, the humanitarian Charlie Martin proposed "of cruelty to animals act in the British parliament passed. "Martin act" is the first part of human history against any animal cruelty laws of human, animal and human relations is a milestone. Later, British and three supplemented the bill that will protect animals range extending to "all human breeding mammals and part of the wild animals by prisoner". Later, France also in 1850 passed the animal cruelty laws, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands and other European countries also have to follow. So far, the world more than 100 countries has formulated the cruelty to animals law, animal life value has gradually be acknowledged by law. In the last ten years, the United Nations Food and agriculture organization are actively advocate "Food Ethics" (Food Ethics).
In China, 1931 years of the "public concession municipal public CaiChang articles of association" with respect to the regulation: animal "should with the method of treatment with humanitarian, no matter who should strive to avoid to make its are not necessary to the action of pain. And used various methods and beware lest its not necessary by the pain". This rule when we got a lot of social celebrities affirmation. In 2002, held in South Africa environment and sustainable development of the international meeting, our country has 41 folk organizations attended, including many animal protection organization participation.
The human still must rely on a lot of animal experiments, but human and also in trying to reduce the damage to its lowest point. In 1959 the British scholars of animal experiments "3 R" (substitute, reduce and optimization) principle: the use of the experiment, no feeling materials instead of living animals, with the least amount of animals to need purpose and optimize experiment procedure, and improvement of the technology to the greatest degree protected animal welfare. British issued a special "experimental animal law, how to use the animal, how the experimental animal suffering to reduce low have made clear rules.
All of these indicate that the human has been trying to choose to "the least bad" way to treat animals. This is the embodiment of the civilization progress.
Respect for tradition, is not equal to the relativism
Human how to treat animals, is rational reflection and the combination of traditional evolution, animal ethics is deeply rooted in the tradition. But we should also see, traditional is not the same and the progress of civilization make civilization standard also will increase, ever meet the traditional way can be influenced by the challenge and be fixed.
In 2006, in Hong Kong banned kill dogs after many years, have a dog owners for slaughter and cooking two of his own pet dog was jailed for 30 days, this is the first case of Hong Kong for kill eat dog meat was sentenced to imprisonment of case, also shows that the Hong Kong society has already won't allow the custom. And as is known to all, the Chinese people in history have always eat dog meat tradition. Taiwan's situation is similar, though Taiwan native have to eat dog meat food habits, but this custom has been abandoned, the current Taiwanese animal protection law will make clear a regulation, slaughtered dogs, cats or approved by the central competent authority of the animal slaughter ban, will be in a large fines, and have to publish the name, title or photos.
Also, animal fur was an important source of human clothes, but the progress of science and technology today, we could give up animal fur clothes, therefore, in recent years many have called for western fur do give up material, this call also got quite a range of identity. Such as Spain bullfighting in entertainment for the purpose of harm to animals custom, was also many people's resistance.
Another is to eat animals of the scope of problem, since animal husbandry appeared, and then the kinds of animals human consumption less, especially in the modern society, aquatic products, pig cow sheep and a few of the animal breeding is enough to satisfy the human diet in developed countries, people don't need to like some African tribes that kill the gorilla for food. We see, now in the United States and Europe developed countries have very narrow animal diet, many animals be avoided the fate of the predator.
Japan, as a cookbook extensive national, some traditional food habits were also people in other parts of the world have above reproach. In the world more and more flat today, these custom must make the adjustment and respect for tradition is not equal to the relativism. Of course, this is not a overnight, black or white, it can only in a long game and find the answer in evolution.
Goose liver sauce, fur coat, bullfighting and hall of nirvana
When some of the damage to animals gradually can avoid, some traditional must make a change. China has been the traditional Chinese medicine, there are many animal medicine demand, it also makes them like a shark's fin and bird's nest, has in recent years above reproach. The latest "hall of nirvana live bear gallbladders take" storm is a good example. We look at how the phenomenon?
Hall of nirvana meet resistance, at the international level with similar early example. Like the long history of the fur coat movement in Europe during the fashion show will meet often, a large number of animal protection organization and star involved. Another example is more close to the goose liver sauce. Goose liver sauce is one of the three food in France, though it is not a health food, but still have a lot of market. Goose liver sauce with goose liver is the fat and processed, compared with the normal goose liver is concerned, the goose fat liver than its big six to eight times. In order to obtain such fat liver, owners must use quite cruel strong feeding method. For decades, such breeding methods in Europe by many organizations and individual opposition.
However, we should see, no matter be fur coat, goose liver sauce, shark's fin, bird's nest, or Spain bullfighting, almost were boycotted a century, but they still legal exist, many French people still depending on the goose liver sauce for the proud tradition of products. On one side is the backlash against animal protection group, one is the French goose liver sauce according to do business, according to the listing. Here is the reason, animals deep into the traditional ethics, since it is the traditional change takes time, need the whole social identity and atmosphere at certain node, the consumer market decline to a certain extent, will rise to a system level.
Human now can be done completely need not animal fur do clothes, don't eat goose liver sauce, don't watch a bullfight, but we see that these things are still quite market demand, involves the huge industry and a large number of professionals, this also is in long-term controversy they continue to exist reasons. We can foresee, along with the progress of the society, people's request for animals ethics more and more high, these industry market will be more and more small, when social consensus to a very high level, the industry will withdraw from the stage of history.
This is a long term evolution process, nirvana met some people's hall of a boycott, but in fact, it meets a boycott of the no matter from degree or on time for the far than goose liver sauce and fur coat had strong, just to the Chinese speaking, this seems to be a new topic. I believe, and goose liver sauce, fur coat, bullfighting, etc, they will eventually abandoned by the history, but this need not a short period of time, is a producers, consumers, and social strength and cultural game and evolution process.
