Why do we vegetarians consider clams & oysters animals if they have no brain?!
After some research & 20+ years of being a vegetarian, I've decided to eat clams and oysters and any other sea life without a brain!. They cannot feel pain!. I eat seaweed!. I think they might be the sea's equivalent to a Venus Flytrap and plants do experience trauma!. Unfortunately we kill bugs when we walk, but I think they feel pain and I'm against letting kids harm them!. I read the other posts regarding this topic and want to address it again!. I wish I were completely vegan!. It is more harmful to eat dairy than oysters!. Any insight!? The previous answers automatically assumed them to be animals, as I have in the past!. They have no face & no family any more than a plant!. I understand the pollution factors, and harvesting factors!. But their are sustainable humane ways of harvesting without harming other fish and toxic free!. Maybe all these years of choosing dairy from the menu over oysters was not the most humane choice!?Www@FoodAQ@Com
Answers:
I kinda agree with you!. I'm a vegetarian, but I try to avoid dairy as much as possible!. I think its a bit hypocrite to buy a bottle of milk or a pound of cheese, but refuse to eat a clam or w/e!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
I believe, from an ethical stance, it is indeed more harmful to eat dairy than oysters and clams!. When one considers veal, this seems an obvious conclusion!.
However, from a health standpoint, it's hard to say which is more harmful, since oysters and clams are alarmingly high in mercury- a known neuro-toxin!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
However, from a health standpoint, it's hard to say which is more harmful, since oysters and clams are alarmingly high in mercury- a known neuro-toxin!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
I see your point!. I do not eat these because a true vegetarian eats seed bearing plants!. Oysters do not bear seeds!. They lay eggs!.
On the health side of the issue, oysters and clams have been found to contain high traces of Mercury which are harmful to the brain!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
On the health side of the issue, oysters and clams have been found to contain high traces of Mercury which are harmful to the brain!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Just because they don't have a brain doesn't mean they are not animals!. !.clams have a nervous system and it is not true, from a biological standpoint, to say a brain is needed for perception-- all you need is a network of neurological tissue to send info across from one cell to another!. A clam also has kidneys, a heart, a mouth, and an anus and are still classified under animalia!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
You go ahead and eat whatever you want, but vegetarians do no eat members of the animal kingdom!. It's not really up to you to "assume" them animals; it's a biological fact!.
How on Earth are you going to make sure the oysters you eat are from "sustainable humane way of harvesting!?" It sounds like a lot of rationalization to me!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
How on Earth are you going to make sure the oysters you eat are from "sustainable humane way of harvesting!?" It sounds like a lot of rationalization to me!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Yeah, I agree with you about the humane factor, I was a vegetarian all my life, but only recently I researched the diary industry and now I am vegan!.
Clams and oysters, I am not into eating animals, and I still consider them to be animals!. - Plus, I am 31 and I have nt eaten animals knowingly - so I am not conformtable with it now!.
Plus, I am thinking that clams and oysters dishes are probably cooked in dairy products!. Of course I don't really know as I have never had to deal with the issue!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Clams and oysters, I am not into eating animals, and I still consider them to be animals!. - Plus, I am 31 and I have nt eaten animals knowingly - so I am not conformtable with it now!.
Plus, I am thinking that clams and oysters dishes are probably cooked in dairy products!. Of course I don't really know as I have never had to deal with the issue!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
look in the Bible!.!.!. they are unclean!.!.!.they are waste filters!.!.!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
We each can eat whatever we choose because it is legal to do so!. Those that cannot accept the morality of the issue can make their own choices of what they eat!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Vegetarians don't eat animal flesh so there's nothing to consider!. If you willingly eat bivalves, whether they feel pain or not, you are not vegetarian by definition!.
http://www!.vegsoc!.org/info/definitions!.h!.!.!.
Way to drag out an account that hasn't posted in over a year to ask the question though!.
ASKER: I'm neither vegetarian nor vegan!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
http://www!.vegsoc!.org/info/definitions!.h!.!.!.
Way to drag out an account that hasn't posted in over a year to ask the question though!.
ASKER: I'm neither vegetarian nor vegan!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Because you vegetarians are silly and irrational!?Www@FoodAQ@Com
Any shellfish is considered "cockroaches of the sea!." They accumulate all the nasty stuff from the water and it's pretty nasty!
I've been a veggie going on two years and I was tempted to eat salmon because that was my absolute favorite!. But just knowing that it was once alive and moving grossed me out, like how could I eat something that at one point was swimming in the sea!?
It's up to you, but clams and oysters to me are animals!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
I've been a veggie going on two years and I was tempted to eat salmon because that was my absolute favorite!. But just knowing that it was once alive and moving grossed me out, like how could I eat something that at one point was swimming in the sea!?
It's up to you, but clams and oysters to me are animals!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
I liked what Erica S had to say, "clams have a nervous system and it is not true, from a biological standpoint, to say a brain is needed for perception-- all you need is a network of neurological tissue to send info across from one cell to another!."
They my have some level of awareness that you are not aware of yet!.
However on a health and environmental level I'd investigate a lot more first before assume it is ok!. The seas are increasing becoming more and more contaminated by industrial waste and clams and oysters are waste filters!.
also the seas are being over harvested to the max but I'm not sure if this would apply to clams and oysters!.
Really good question as it made me have to think and that's always a good thing!.
Cheers : )Www@FoodAQ@Com
They my have some level of awareness that you are not aware of yet!.
However on a health and environmental level I'd investigate a lot more first before assume it is ok!. The seas are increasing becoming more and more contaminated by industrial waste and clams and oysters are waste filters!.
also the seas are being over harvested to the max but I'm not sure if this would apply to clams and oysters!.
Really good question as it made me have to think and that's always a good thing!.
Cheers : )Www@FoodAQ@Com
Vegetarians did not "consider" or claim that oysters, clams and other shellfish/crustaceans are animals, scientists did and still do!. There are only two scientifically accepted biological kingdoms, (as far as I know) plant and animals and shell fish fall under animals!.
However, that is your decision to make whether they are to be consumed or not!. Regardless of label, or definition or whatever, you decide what is best for you!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
However, that is your decision to make whether they are to be consumed or not!. Regardless of label, or definition or whatever, you decide what is best for you!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
havent you ever seen alice in wonderland!? those poor oysters!.!.!. of course they feel pain!!! how dare you hurt those poor little oysters >:OWww@FoodAQ@Com
You can make any decision you want about what you eat but I think your particular decision is rather arbitrary!. Where do you derive that the ability to detect pain is the point at which one should draw the line in terms of what they eat!? It should be noted, bivalves have nervous systems with many senses including vibration sensors, balance and some even simple sight!.!.!.!.!.!.
http://en!.wikipedia!.org/wiki/Bivalvia#Ne!.!.!.
You conclude however, since they are NOT lucky enough to have developed pain sensors, they're fair game for dinner!? Personally, I don't get most vegetarian thinking!. We are omnivores and part of the food chain!. It makes no sense to question it logically, morally, or biologically!. No other animals do question their place in the food chain-- especially not because their dinner might feel pain!. I can understand a hesitancy to eat more sentient animals-- dogs, monkeys, etc!., and I can definitely understand our responsibility to be as humane as possible and cause as little pain as possible!. But in the end, just deciding "well, they don't feel pain so I can eat them" is the deciding factor, just sounds like justification and an attempt to make yourself feel good!. What if it turned out dogs didn't feel pain!?
P!.S!. It's not up to vegetarians to decide what's an animal and what's not!. It's scientifically established!.!.!.!.
http://en!.wikipedia!.org/wiki/Animal
*******EDIT************
All I'm saying is-- it's all "feel good" justification!. Most every vegetarian I've ever heard makes up his/her own rules based on his/her own feelings!. At the end of the day, we are omnivores and no other animal even worries about it-- they eat what they eat!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
http://en!.wikipedia!.org/wiki/Bivalvia#Ne!.!.!.
You conclude however, since they are NOT lucky enough to have developed pain sensors, they're fair game for dinner!? Personally, I don't get most vegetarian thinking!. We are omnivores and part of the food chain!. It makes no sense to question it logically, morally, or biologically!. No other animals do question their place in the food chain-- especially not because their dinner might feel pain!. I can understand a hesitancy to eat more sentient animals-- dogs, monkeys, etc!., and I can definitely understand our responsibility to be as humane as possible and cause as little pain as possible!. But in the end, just deciding "well, they don't feel pain so I can eat them" is the deciding factor, just sounds like justification and an attempt to make yourself feel good!. What if it turned out dogs didn't feel pain!?
P!.S!. It's not up to vegetarians to decide what's an animal and what's not!. It's scientifically established!.!.!.!.
http://en!.wikipedia!.org/wiki/Animal
*******EDIT************
All I'm saying is-- it's all "feel good" justification!. Most every vegetarian I've ever heard makes up his/her own rules based on his/her own feelings!. At the end of the day, we are omnivores and no other animal even worries about it-- they eat what they eat!.Www@FoodAQ@Com