Terrence McLaughlin Dr. Sarah Triffo Culinary Transformations 12 April 2016
Tradition and Rationalization Introduction For approximately 40,000 years, human civilization has relied on the practice of fishing to provide a major source of food. While fish are considered an important source of protein and a staple of our diets, society has only now thought to question the morality of this primitive practice. Over the last century, the animal rights movement has transformed the way society treats nonhuman animals. With the philosophy that all nonhuman animals should be entitled to certain rights, some activists have criticized the practices of the fishing industry (The Cove). Among the many controversies regarding animal rights within this particular food industry, one that has gained a great deal of public attention in recent years surrounds the killing of dolphins and whales for both commercial and recreational purposes (Wakatsuki). These practices exist in cultures around the world and often stems from a desire to follow traditional cultural practices (Walsh). The controversy of dolphin killing and “whaling,� the hunting and killing of whales, is primarily focused on the issues of sustainability and conservation. The debate also highlights the health risks of consuming dolphin and whale meat, their mental capacity as highly intelligent mammals, and the level of suffering which these animals undergo
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