The Deserted Island Scenario

“Okay, but imagine you are stranded on a deserted island. There are no plants, no vegetables, nothing. It’s just you and a cow. You gonna starve to death and let the cow eat you?!?”

I’d kill and eat the cow (yum!)

Morality in Extreme Situations

I think morals go out the window when trying to survive! Veganism goes as far as being practicable and possible. Not eating the cow simply isn’t practicable or possible in this extreme scenario.

The question of morality get intersting if we swap the cow for a human. Then what would you do?

We can look at the 1972 Andes plane crash for an answer. The survivors had to eat their deceased friends to stay alive. Do we forgive them for resorting to cannibalism? Unclear, but they did what they had to do to survive.

They weren’t jailed for cannibalism, but I’m not sure that they were celebrated either.

It’s hard to be moral when survival is on the line. But we can for sure say that extreme situations do not define everyday morality.

I can’t use a life-or-death edge case to justify my everyday choices.

I am not on an island

Veganism is defined as avoiding the exploitation of animals as far as is possible and practicable.

I am not stranded on a deserted island. I live in a city. I have an abundance of plant-based options readily available to me at supermarkets and restaurants.

I don’t have to choose between killing a cow or starving to death. My daily moral choices are simple.

If I ever end up shipwrecked with a cow, I’ll reassess my moral framework. Until then, I’m just going to keep doing me.