> wrote
>
> Dutch wrote:
[..]

>> >> The salient point here is that "sentience" is a misapplied term by
>> >> ARAs,
>> >
>> > Can you give me some examples of this misapplication?
>>
>> You already did. Sentience is mistakenly used to mean the ability to use
>> complex reasoning, as mammals do, when it actually just means the ability
>> to
>> feel, in other words to have the sense of touch.
>
> I didn't mistakenly use "sentience" in this way. I didn't see anyone
> else who did, either.

Then your point is absurd. You haven't defined sentience rigorously and
can't determine which animals are and which aren't. The only way this
"egalitarian" ideal could even begin to work is if you begin by defining
most animal species as non-sentient, and you can't do that.

>> Any animal that has sensory
>> touch receptors can feel, therefore could feel pain. There is no
>> evolutionary reason that insects would evolve without the defense
>> mechanism
>> of the ability to feel pain.
>>
>
> As I say, if you want to comment on DeGrazia's discussion of the issue
> then go ahead.

That's not my job. If you want to introduce some of his ideas into this
debate then be my guest.

>> >> and
>> >> they use this misapplication to exclude themselves from guilt for
>> >> complicity
>> >> in a whole myriad of potential animal suffering associated with their
>> >> consumer lifestyles. This enables them to keep applying the focus
>> >> where
>> >> they
>> >> believe it properly belongs, on those evil and misguided meat-eaters.
>> >>
>> >> >
>> >> >> >> Perhaps I should give them the benefit
>> >> >> >> of the doubt. But I don't think I'm going to give myself a guilt
>> >> >> >> trip
>> >> >> >> about killing mosquitoes.
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > No. I don't think you should give yourself guilt trips about
>> >> >> > killing
>> >> >> > any type of parasite.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> He just moved the goalposts again.
>> >>
>> >> Meaning he was challenged on ants so he tried using mosquitos as his
>> >> example, a typical pro-ARA argument tactic.
>> >
>> > I was challenged on ants and I said something in response. Talking
>> > about mosquitoes is just changing the subject, not "moving the
>> > goalposts". I am allowed to talk about more than one thing.
>>
>> You lost confidence in your assertion about ant sentience so you tried a
>> flyer with mosquitos.
>
> No, I still have confidence in it.

You shouldn't have confidence in it.

>> The fact is we don't know, except that we cause a lot
>> of death and suffering to animals, that's just how real life is.
>
> True. And I believe we should take steps to minimize it.

More specifically, you think everyone should follow the vegan ritual of
abstaining from animal products.