"Rupert" > wrote in message
...
> On Apr 12, 12:23 am, "Dutch" > wrote:
>> "Rupert" > wrote
>>
>> > Most ethicists would agree that equal consideration of interests is
>> > the default starting position.
>>
>> For whom? My default starting position for consideration is my own
>> interests, followed by my immediate family including my pets, my
>> community,
>> my country, mankind, higher level animals, rare plant species, lower
>> level
>> animals, the planet, and the economy is implied in there somewhere.
>>
>> The default starting position for every organism in existence is its own
>> interests, that is the way the world works.
>
> That is something that requires defence from the moral point of view.

You mean like you defended your assertion, by claiming that most ethicists
agree with you? Well I can't honestly say I've ever met an ethicist, but if
they think that way then they are different than every other person or
animal that I am aware of. No, you're wrong here, in fact your description
of your own moral calculations proves it. You have admitted that adjusting
your lifestyle to avoid causing harm to animals is secondary to maintaining
a suitable career and lifestyle for yourself, as it should be. I don't know
if you have ever see the comic Louis C.K. but he does a bit about his
beliefs about what is right, like signing an organ donor card, he thinks
that everyone should do that, to save lives. But he doesn't do it himself
because he thinks its gross. He calls these beliefs "his believies", things
that he believes in as part of his self-image but doesn't follow through on.
He is describing you, your belief that equal consideration of interests is
the default starting position is one of your "believies".