Study Questions on Oral Presentations Articles on Animals

1.         Do you agree with Kristoff that in 200 years we will look back at our treatment of animals and wonder how otherwise could people could let that go on? Do you agree with him that there is deep hypocrisy concerning out treatment of animals?

2.         What are “Ag Gag Laws?”

3.         How is liver pate (“Foie Gras”) made from geese?

4.         Describe some of the methods used by the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center to enhance meat production. What are the criticisms?

5.         What is Wal-Mart doing in order to improve the welfare of animals used for food? Is this an example of “free market environmentalism?” How?

6.         Should we care about the use of anti-biotics in production of animals used for food?

7.         Describe some of the steps that some in the meat-food industry (and some states) are taking to improve conditions for animals raised for food.

8.         Explain the reasoning Jay Bost (in “Give Thanks for Meat”) gives that he thinks justifies (some) meat eating. Do you agree with his argument?

9.         Is there such a thing as a “conscientious meat eater?” What steps might a person take to try to be one?

10.       Why does Bost think it might it be better to eat a free range cow than to buy chemical veggies at the store?

11.       How does Bost attempt to justify the killing of a sentient animal for food? Do you agree with his arguments?

12.       Related to above article, is it arbitrary to divide the world into two camps: those things we can kill to eat and those things we should not kill to eat?

13.       Discuss the debate over whether or not environmentalists may/should eat meat. What are the environmental reasons for not eating meat? How are these different from the animal welfare reasons not to eat meat?