Vegetarian and still dissect?!
This school year, i decided to take a zoology course offered at my school. Obviously, we preform dissections. I've learned a lot from our experients and enjoy learning everything in that class. I feel like a hypocrite though because most vegetarians are completely against dissections. Should I just stop being vegetarian? The problem is, since I haven't eaten meat in a long time, I have lost the taste for it. So technally, I'm still a vegetarian even if I still dissect. Is this hypocritical?
Answers: I became vegetarian about a year and a half ago. I became vege because we watched a movie showing the terrible conditions that chickens, cows, etc have to go through.
This school year, i decided to take a zoology course offered at my school. Obviously, we preform dissections. I've learned a lot from our experients and enjoy learning everything in that class. I feel like a hypocrite though because most vegetarians are completely against dissections. Should I just stop being vegetarian? The problem is, since I haven't eaten meat in a long time, I have lost the taste for it. So technally, I'm still a vegetarian even if I still dissect. Is this hypocritical?
I understand your question about it being hypocritical to be a vegetarian dissector.
I don't think it is. By choosing not to eat meat, you are preventing a lot of suffering in the world.
I'm glad you enjoy zoology, and I'm going to skip straight ahead to college. Dissections are, unfortunately, required to study Biology in college. You cannot get a degree in Bio without doing them, unless peta opens a college.
I love science. I love the emphasis on critical thinking. I found in my Bio courses that the critical thinking hits a wall when it comes to the ethics of dissection and animal rights. It's just a non-issue. You have the opportunity to be a moderating voice. If you use reason and science, you can have a meaningful dialogue with your professors about the value of this work. It is something that many of them have not thought about, because the attacks on it come from outside the sciences, and are often made in hysterical diatribes.
And, oh, if you really get into Bio, and begin teaching it, you can really begin to open people's minds, and explore these issues.
I really could go on and on about specific examples, but this post is getting long. Please email me if you'd like any more info.
No, you shouldn't stop being vegetarian. You should stop dissecting.
Check this out
http://www.peta2.com/TAKECHARGE/t-starst...
I think you should go by your beliefs, whatever they are now, and not necessarily what they used to be. If you still feel convicted about eating meat, then don't eat it. If you don't really care anymore, I'm sure you'll get your taste back after about a month. Don't feel like you have to eat meat or not eat it because of what you do in a science class. And don't feel bad about whatever you decide. Ask yourself why it's important that you not eat it. And remember, even if you decide to stay vegetarian purely for taste/health reasons, that's not hypocritical. And neither is dissecting as a vegetarian.
No, it's not hypocritical, and you should definitly stay vegetarian.
Just look at the people in college to become Veterinarians(or something of the sort) They have to take zoology classes and other classes that require dissection in order to be vet. Yet most Veterinarians tend to be Vegetarians.
You get what I'm saying?
I think it's hypocritical, no offense. I refused to dissect when I was in school because I was a vegetarian. The teachers cannot force you to dissect. I was given alternate assignments, and learned just as much without having to butcher animals.
But you shouldn't stop being a vegetarian.
This is a hot topic for debate. Personally I think you should dissect and learn. People in med school dissect other people, that doesn't make them murderers or cannibals. You're not a hypocrite, and you can still be a vegetarian, don't give that up. Without dissection, how will you learn properly? Just don't do animal testing in the name of cosmetics or juice or something equally ridiculous and it shouldn't conflict with your values.
"Vegetarian" has to do with what you eat. It has nothing to do with dissection at all, and it is not at all hypocritical.