On Cruelty Against Animals

It is not the first time, nor it will be the last, that I have had the same recurring debate when it comes to talking about animal ethics. For many people, the subject of animal ethics is identical with that of the prohibition of cruelty against animals, as if it were the only or the most relevant of ethical problems that arise in our dealing with non-human animals. In this article, I will argue that none of those assertions are true. I will argue that intentional cruelty is not the main problem; contrary to the popular belief, it is in fact one of the least problematic concerns.
We can define cruelty against animals as the deliberate causing of harm to sentient non-human beings just for the pleasure of it. Of course, it has always existed as a problem and it has largely been criticized as such. Already in the 4th century BCE, Lucius Annaeus Seneca, the great roman philosopher, wrote “that a habit of cruelty is formed whenever butchery is practiced for pleasure”[1]. Seneca meant that the killing of animals could only be justified out of necessity, but never out of the desire of inflicting pain. Even the Great German Philosopher, Immanuel Kant, who did not believe in animal rights, dedicated part of his ethical work, the Metaphysic of Morals, to criticize cruelty against animals: “If man is not to stifle his human feelings, he must practice kindness towards animals, for he who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men.” As we can see, according to Kant, violent and cruel treatment of animals is wrong, but not because it hurts animals, but because it is bad for humankind.
But Kant and Seneca are only two of a plethora of thinkers that throughout history condemned intentional cruelty against animals; condemnation of animal cruelty has existed since the beginning of civilized society. The first laws that were passed regarding the treatment of animals were specifically designed to avoid animal cruelty, and even our contemporary legislation holds that any use of animals for human purposes, such as food, clothing, entertainment, and research, should be done in a humane way that minimizes unnecessary pain and suffering.
As we have seen, as bad as cruelty against animals may be, it has never been regarded as morally praiseworthy, and having been so widely condemned, it is difficult to ...