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  1. 2008-10-08
    Is it wrong to eat lobster?
    Case Type:
    Ethics
    Status:
    Verdict Reached
    Terms:
    1 week
  2. Plaintiff:
    hotdogger9
    Plaintiff's Argument:
    OK, so this thing I just read on animalreview.wordpress.com really got to me. Maybe I'm in some kind of David Foster Wallace funk city, but reading his essay (which is here: www.gourmet.com/magazine/2000s/2004/08/consider_the_lobster) and this tribute review really got to me, and now, even though I'll admit that nothing makes me happier than a big steaming lobster, I don't think I can eat it again.

    It's not a vegetarian thing, I think. It's the whole 'boiling alive' thing. I didn't know that they tried to get out of the pots. It's just cruel. And pointless. And why are we eating giant bugs anyway?

    Seriously, I don't think I can make a better argument than was made at the above-mentioned website. It's just too much.

    Anyway, my buddy says it's fine and I shouldn't feel any kind of emotion about it.
  3. Defendant:
    Lobster Muncher
    Defendant's Argument:
    I can see you are well on your way to over thinking everything. Lobsters may feel some pain, and being boiled alive may well be very unpleasant for them. But they clearly don't feel the same dread of pain or the memory of pain or any of the things that make pain so terrible for we higher-thinking mammals. Of course, they feel something BAD. Their successful evolution demands it. Even an ant on a burning log makes a very enthusiastic effort to avoid a fire, but you wouldn't feel bad about burning it, would you? The again, boiling would certainly prolong that whatever-lobsters-call-pain sensation, making it much worse. And they DO try to escape.

    Oh man. Now you're making me overthink stuff.

    Listen, I say save your passion for the higher animals like cows and pigs and pass the melted butter or get out of the way. The fact I'm now getting hungry is enough evidence for me that all is good with boiling lobsters.

Judgment: for plaintiff

3 ruled for plaintiff

2 ruled for defendant

Majority Opinion:

dragonfly1 See Opinion »
snash See Opinion »
youngblood See Opinion »

Minority Opinion

Spencer See Opinion »
Turbosword See Opinion »

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