Consider The Lobster: Ethical Issue of Eating Animals

In David Foster Wallace's paper 'Consider the Lobster', Wallace argues that animals suffering is a complex question. Although some may disagree with Wallace's view that because lobsters are not human, cooking a living lobster cannot be considered a moral decision, this idea is wrong and the process of cooking a living lobster does involve ethical considerations. Of the two ideas that are so opposed to each other, and I would prefer the former.

David Foster Wallace explores the ethical issues behind eating lobster. He begins his reading with Maine's Lobster Festival, where more than 25,000 pounds of fresh lobster are eaten each year, and goes on to discuss Maine\'s entire lobster industry. He believes it is important to point out some of the thorny ethical questions raised by the Maine Lobster Festival. To prove his point, he points to places where lobsters are often found, in the kitchen. Then he asked a question that was worth reflecting on” Is it all right to boil a sentient creature alive just for our gustatory pleasure?”. As he asked, countless images flashed through my mind, what if it was me being cooked right now. How would I feel? At some point I felt the pain from the paper cut, not to mention being tortured to death alive. Apparently the answer to Wallace is no, I think the he raises this question to get us to think from the lobster's point of view. Wallace also notes that “for instance, it tends to come alarmingly to life when placed in boiling water”.The fact that lobsters react to the outside world when it were threw in to the water as if they were woken up made me feel more sympathetic and convinced me that the he was right.

Furthermore, Wallace bluntly pointed out that the lobster acted like a rational human being and was in pain,” in other words, behaves very much like you or I would behave”. Wallace points out that lobsters seem to meet a standard that ethicists use to determine whether an animal is capable of pain. Whether the animal shows pain-related behavior. Although Wallace doesn't think lobsters have the same advanced nervous system as humans, lobsters are highly sensitive creatures that can detect raising changes in temperature. Moreover, once the lobster is thrown into the pot of boiling water, there is no denying that lobster trying desperately to get away from that pot movement. On the other side, Pollan's article mentions that food choices have emerged over time and as a result of human survival needs. In the selection of food, human beings, as advanced creatures, should take more moral justifications of how to prepare food correctly. Perhaps, give them a shot, not torture.

However, some people think they are justified in cooking and eating lobsters because lobsters are not human. Not surprisingly, Wallace points out that the Maine Lobster Festival fully supports this claim. These people might argue that lobsters are more like small, irritating insects than humans. Personally, I strongly disagree to this statement. These people just lack ethical decisions and responsibilities.