Welcome to the Free Talk Live bulletin board system!
This board is closed to new users and new posts.  Thank you to all our great mods and users over the years.  Details here.
185859 Posts in 9829 Topics by 1371 Members
Latest Member: cjt26
Home Help
+  The Free Talk Live BBS
|-+  Free Talk Live
| |-+  The Polling Pit
| | |-+  Can we eat the aliens?

Poll

If we came across Planet Moo filled with animals as dumb as cows (and twice as delicious), can we eat them?

Yes - if it's safe then I'd try some.
- 15 (78.9%)
Maybe - I'd wait a century or two to make sure.
- 2 (10.5%)
No - I'd use free market activism to protect the Mooians!
- 2 (10.5%)
No - a government should protect them by force!
- 0 (0%)

Total Members Voted: 13


Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Can we eat the aliens?  (Read 3060 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Alex Libman

  • Guest
Can we eat the aliens?
« on: September 08, 2008, 11:03:26 AM »

I've been known to argue that government isn't needed to build roads, protect patent rights, keep Dr Evil from building a nano-virus, etc...  But I just thought of a scenario where government could be helpful!  (It might also be an argument for Veganism, though not a very good one.) 

Imagine we discover Planet Moo, as the poll says, and the animals on that planet can be turned into products just like animals on Earth.  At least some people will be interested in going there and taking advantage.  But what if those dumb Planet Moo cows aren't as dumb as we think, or some other species we haven't discovered yet would avenge them?  The consequences of initiating aggression against an extra-terrestrial species would affect all human beings, because someone who'd want to avenge them won't differentiate between humans who ate Moo burgers or didn't!

Discusss.
Logged

blackie

  • Guest
Re: Can we eat the aliens?
« Reply #1 on: September 08, 2008, 11:08:50 AM »

You can eat whatever you want...including humans.
Logged

Porcupine_in_MA

  • Guest
Re: Can we eat the aliens?
« Reply #2 on: September 08, 2008, 11:13:41 AM »

Especially humans.
Logged

dry_ice

  • Guest
Re: Can we eat the aliens?
« Reply #3 on: September 08, 2008, 06:43:38 PM »

I think you just fried my brain with that question.
Logged

YixilTesiphon

  • FTL AMPlifier Silver
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4284
    • View Profile
Re: Can we eat the aliens?
« Reply #4 on: September 08, 2008, 06:52:10 PM »

Yes.
Logged
And their kids were hippie chicks - all hypocrites.

CaL DaVe

  • No hay igual.
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2037
  • Que onda guero?
    • View Profile
Re: Can we eat the aliens?
« Reply #5 on: September 08, 2008, 07:22:59 PM »

I don't believe we have a moral obligation to any other species other than human.


Survival of the fittest.


Logged
Pocho

blackie

  • Guest
Re: Can we eat the aliens?
« Reply #6 on: September 08, 2008, 07:46:35 PM »

I don't believe we have a moral obligation to any other species other than human.
I don't have a moral obligation to humans. Show me the contract I signed.
Logged

CaL DaVe

  • No hay igual.
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2037
  • Que onda guero?
    • View Profile
Re: Can we eat the aliens?
« Reply #7 on: September 08, 2008, 08:02:37 PM »

I don't believe we have a moral obligation to any other species other than human.
I don't have a moral obligation to humans. Show me the contract I signed.

I think that humans have a moral obligation not to slaughter and eat each other...

If you feel differently then please take note that I'm very skinny and regularly bathe in my own feces.
Logged
Pocho

mikehz

  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 8033
    • View Profile
    • Day by Day
Re: Can we eat the aliens?
« Reply #8 on: September 11, 2008, 11:37:31 PM »

All self-aware, conscious, non-violent beings deserve respect. If any government has any reason to exist, it is to protect this principle.
Logged
"Force always attracts men of low morality." Albert Einstein

JWI

  • Guest
Re: Can we eat the aliens?
« Reply #9 on: September 11, 2008, 11:46:38 PM »

I don't believe we have a moral obligation to any other species other than human.
I don't have a moral obligation to humans. Show me the contract I signed.

Fuck contracts.  That's one issue that bothers me when listening to FTL, EVERYTHING involves signing a stupid contract.

I do not wish to live in a society where I have to sign my name to 23523423899 contracts just to get through my day.  Whatever happened to two people agreeing on something and letting their good name and a handshake seal the deal?  We need a fuckin' contract for every interaction with others?
Logged

MacFall

  • Agorist
  • FTL AMPlifier Silver
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2295
  • No king but Christ; no law but liberty!
    • View Profile
Re: Can we eat the aliens?
« Reply #10 on: September 12, 2008, 12:25:44 AM »

I don't believe we have a moral obligation to any other species other than human.
I don't have a moral obligation to humans. Show me the contract I signed.

Fuck contracts.  That's one issue that bothers me when listening to FTL, EVERYTHING involves signing a stupid contract.

I do not wish to live in a society where I have to sign my name to 23523423899 contracts just to get through my day.  Whatever happened to two people agreeing on something and letting their good name and a handshake seal the deal?  We need a fuckin' contract for every interaction with others?

Uh... an agreement is a contract. That's what "contract" means. An agreement.  :?

It's a useful term in libertarian political theory because it has less syllables than "mutually agreed-upon transaction which may include the promise of future action by one or more parties."

There's a reason why the term "written contract" has the word written in it: to distinguish it from other forms of contract (i.e., mutually agreed-upon transactions which may include the promise of future action by one or more parties).
« Last Edit: September 12, 2008, 12:33:26 AM by MacFall »
Logged
I am an anarchist! HOOGA BOOGA BOOGA!!

JWI

  • Guest
Re: Can we eat the aliens?
« Reply #11 on: September 12, 2008, 09:47:51 AM »

I don't believe we have a moral obligation to any other species other than human.
I don't have a moral obligation to humans. Show me the contract I signed.

Fuck contracts.  That's one issue that bothers me when listening to FTL, EVERYTHING involves signing a stupid contract.

I do not wish to live in a society where I have to sign my name to 23523423899 contracts just to get through my day.  Whatever happened to two people agreeing on something and letting their good name and a handshake seal the deal?  We need a fuckin' contract for every interaction with others?

Uh... an agreement is a contract. That's what "contract" means. An agreement.  :?

It's a useful term in libertarian political theory because it has less syllables than "mutually agreed-upon transaction which may include the promise of future action by one or more parties."

There's a reason why the term "written contract" has the word written in it: to distinguish it from other forms of contract (i.e., mutually agreed-upon transactions which may include the promise of future action by one or more parties).

Then why do people always end an argument with "show me the contract I signed"?  Do some people think that if there's no paper trail full on contracts they signed then their free to do whatever the hell they want regardless of the consequences or effects on others?

Show me the contract I signed that says I won't kill babies and eat their flesh.
Logged

blackie

  • Guest
Re: Can we eat the aliens?
« Reply #12 on: September 12, 2008, 10:02:57 AM »

Uh... an agreement is a contract. That's what "contract" means. An agreement.  :?

It's a useful term in libertarian political theory because it has less syllables than "mutually agreed-upon transaction which may include the promise of future action by one or more parties."

There's a reason why the term "written contract" has the word written in it: to distinguish it from other forms of contract (i.e., mutually agreed-upon transactions which may include the promise of future action by one or more parties).
Does that mean that having sex and creating another life is a contract?
Logged

blackie

  • Guest
Re: Can we eat the aliens?
« Reply #13 on: September 12, 2008, 10:10:38 AM »

Then why do people always end an argument with "show me the contract I signed"?  Do some people think that if there's no paper trail full on contracts they signed then their free to do whatever the hell they want regardless of the consequences or effects on others?
I say it cus they always say it on the show, and I think it is funny.

But yes, people do think like that. If you can't prove an agreement existed, they feel free to fuck you over. People suck.
Logged

MacFall

  • Agorist
  • FTL AMPlifier Silver
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2295
  • No king but Christ; no law but liberty!
    • View Profile
Re: Can we eat the aliens?
« Reply #14 on: September 12, 2008, 05:53:39 PM »

Uh... an agreement is a contract. That's what "contract" means. An agreement.  :?

It's a useful term in libertarian political theory because it has less syllables than "mutually agreed-upon transaction which may include the promise of future action by one or more parties."

There's a reason why the term "written contract" has the word written in it: to distinguish it from other forms of contract (i.e., mutually agreed-upon transactions which may include the promise of future action by one or more parties).
Does that mean that having sex and creating another life is a contract?

I think so.
Logged
I am an anarchist! HOOGA BOOGA BOOGA!!
Pages: [1]   Go Up
+  The Free Talk Live BBS
|-+  Free Talk Live
| |-+  The Polling Pit
| | |-+  Can we eat the aliens?

// ]]>

Page created in 0.026 seconds with 36 queries.