Should animal cruelty be banned all together?  

Use the activities below to shape both for and against arguments. You can record these later after analysing different resources.

 

Activity 1.1 Research Activity

 

Teaching outcome: Understanding the nature of veganism.

Using the internet, research the following question and respond accordingly.

Note that you must keep a references list for any information that you take from each website. Keep the following information.

 

• The authors last name and the first letter of their first name.

• The date it was published.

• The title of the article

• The website link.

 

Below is how you should present it.

The reference list should also be in alphabetical order.

Note that when you discuss the authors idea you must write the following:

Norris (2013) states that “vegetarians who do not supplement their diet with vitamin B12 tend to have low vitamin B12 levels and elevated homocysteine.”.

Or you can summarise the content rather than stating it such as

Vegetarians who do not induce vitamin B12 commonly have elevated homocysteine (Norris, 2013).

E.g. Norris, J 2013, ‘Mild B12 deficency’, retrieved on the 15th of April 2015, <http://www.veganhealth.org/b12/hcy>.

 

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This activity is centred on discovering those in support of banning all animal cruelty including the consumption.

 

• What does it mean to be vegetarian?

• What is the difference between vegan and vegetarian?

• In general, what beliefs and values to vegans hold?

• Check out the website below and answer the following question:

 

 

 

 

 

What are the most interesting/offensive claims to you that Stelfox makes?

*Tips for essay:

 

Think about the vegan way of life and how this can be beneficial to both animals and humans.

Think about the criticisms centred on being a vegetarian.

 

 

Activity 1.2

 

Outcome: Understanding the possible defects of being a vegan member of society.

• Describe three possible defects of selecting and inducing a vegan diet. Use the link below for your research.

• How does these effects impact the social justice of animals?

 

*Tip for essay: For your argument, think about how selecting a vegan way of living can be controversial due to health.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Activity 1.3

 

Watch the video below and respond to the following questions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• How is this research beneficial?

• How is this animal cruelty?

• What rights should animals have? Should there be boundaries?

 

As you will now have noticed, this experiment was to test a theory of attachment. It was to primarily explore our need for comfort and love over food. This was conducted to broaden our view of the human behaviour. Not only are research studies to conduct behavioural examinations, but they are also centred on mind and body explorations. Do you believe that for the purpose of saving lives, that we should conduct research on animals? Is this any different or excusable for the mental and physical harm performed on animals?

How is viewing rather than reading about this study more influential on your point of view about animal cruelty? How?

 

When you view this video, do you find yourself drawing connections from you own life? Whether this be your own value system or beliefs, or experiences? Explain. How does this manipulate you as a viewer?

*Tip for essay: Think about how animal cruelty in experimentation can be controversial. Are their boundaries? Is one experiment in the field of medical research compared to research on the mind deemed more important? Is it acceptable at all?

 

Activity 1.4

 

Watch the following video that is featured on http://www.kentuckyfriedcruelty.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• What do you find most surprising?

• What morals or what you consider as ethics are breached?

• When watching this video, give specific examples of animal cruelty in the production of Kentucky Fried Chicken.

• Pamela Anderson claims that we as community can help them “to convince KFC to take steps to reduce the worst suffering inflicted on these animals”. Is this possible? How is this controversial as an argument? Think about why they would inflict pain in the form that they do. Think about it from an economical point of view and practicality. What are the alternatives?

• Can we ever be cruelty free? Why/ Why not?

 

*Tip: You can use this piece and quote Pamela Andersons statements as evidence to support opposing animal cruelty. You can also explore this to validate animal cruelty or the use of animals and explore the economics and realism in society.

 

Activity 1.5

 

We have our research, and we are developing different views, but before we move any further we must establish what not to do in our writing.

Mills and Dooley (2014) suggest that the use of informal intensifiers reduces an argument as it is used in unsophisticated ways. Informal Intensifiers include terms such as totally, completely, really and now way. They suggest that rather than making it out that you are 100% correct, use modality auxiliary verbs which vary in degree. See the table below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The terms above are suggestive of an argument. This way, you are not left feeing uneasy when you are ‘wrong’.

Try to use hedges. These are more appealing and it keeps the argument balanced. It prevents the writer from error. Such as may, partially, it is suggested that and perhaps.  You will notice that over time, the use of hedging will become your vocabulary, so why not start now! (Hinkel cited in Mills and Dooley 2014, p. 38).

 

Below is an example of how not to write. You will be provided with your own examples to edit. See how the example examines informal language, language that does not support the writer if they are incorrect or even less believable.

This example was taken by Mills and Dooley (2004) as an attempt to improve writing skills.

 

E.g ‘There is no way that children should be ever, ever, ever allowed to buy red candies at school. In fact, that is totally, absolutely,, ridiculously crazy and it SHOULD NOT HAPPEN!!!! L’ (p.39)

 

First thing I think is that it can be persuasive to an informal audience, however it does not provide a proof barrier formal argument.

 

‘There is no way that children should be ever, ever, ever allowed to buy red candies at school. In fact, that is totally, absolutely, ridiculously crazy and it SHOULD NOT HAPPEN!!!! L’ (p.39)

 

Notice the use of ‘Ever, ever, ever’. It is exaggerating the fact that childrenshould not be allowed to buy red candies at school. It almost makes the student who is writing it childish, as they continually repeat this. Sure repetition can be persuasive in some arguments. However, it does not work in all contexts.

 

Notice how the student starts off using ‘should’ which is at a medium level ( see the table above with the levels of modality) and this level of disagreement increases when he/she intensifies the argument with ‘ever, ever, ever’.  The level of disagreement should be consistent in regards to the same issue or point that needs to be made. Especially being in the same line.

These are example of informal intensifiers.  Can you tell me from the example above:

 

• How does this affect the argument?

• With continuous uses of intensifiers, does this reduce the level of agreeability we have with the writer?

• How would you re– write this argument?

• Edit, annotate and re – write these arguments. Note that these are not real arguments and merely made up. Remember that these are not good representations of what you should do.

 

A) Do you think that you are all “good” people because you go to church? NO! You eat meat God damn it! You kill animals!! That is completely, and utterly ridiculous. LOOK IN THE DAMN MIRROR!

 

B) You are totally ridiculous! It is normal to eat meat. It is nature!

 

C) You might be vegan, but you should eat your meat or you might get sick.

 

D) You ought to stop animal cruelty, or things can escalate.

 

*Tip: do not use informal intensifiers in your essay.

 

Activity 1.6

 

Using the activities above, construct an argumentative essay discussing the complexity of the issues surrounding animal cruelty.

 

You must write a response to the following question:

 

Should animal cruelty be banned all together?

 

When exploring your argument, make sure to use some of these issues above to help support your argument. You can do this by refuting an idea and explaining why or simply explaining why this supports your point of view.

See the criteria first before starting.

 

Feel open to reading over the persuasive techniques document and attempt to use at least 4 - 5 persuasive techniques throughout your essay to make it strong. Use these techniques were relevant and use them wisely.

 

Example format for an argumentative essay:

 

Example Structure to follow:

• Statement in regards to your oppositions argument, or potential argument. Make sure to state where these came from.

 

1. A person  - Anderson states that “….”

Or Anderson argues that ….

 

• An Experiment - Haslow’s Experiment explores….

• A Website without an Author  - According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics…. Etc.

• Refute your oppositions argument.

• State your argument and argue why it is correct/ more significant through evidence and discussion.

• Link back to the essay question and re – state your stance.

 

Example Paragraph:

Those supporting animal cruelty such as scientists, can see the use of animal testing as productive/beneficial for the future of human health.  Sure this can be seen as productive in supporting theories about human behaviour such as in Haslows Monkey’s experiment which supports the notion that comfort and love is desired more highly than food. However, the physical and emotional pain inflicted on animals through testing and experimentation is unnecessary. Whether it is testing animals and causing mental distress such as the removal of a baby capuchin monkey from her mother, or the physical pain of testing medicine on animals. It is simply unacceptable. Animals are unable to speak for themselves, hence we see people taking advantage of this vulnerability. As a result, rather than taking advantage of animals, people should be protecting animals by eliminating animal testing all together.

Examples of persuasive techniques used:

Appeals to emotion

Evidence

Formal Language to present that you are knowledgable

 

Note: Remember not to overdo the persuasive techniques.

Now that you have an understanding of the requirements, first start by devising a for and against table.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now that you have devised your for an against table. Establish your point of view.

!. What is your point of view? Is it strong, weak, in the middle? Remember that your argument must be clear and must hold a position in the argument. You cannot just say for and against statements. Where does your passion lie? Make a rational argument out of it.

 

• Plan your paragraphs. Devise a layout.

• Include contention /point of view

• Include the issue and the points you will discuss.

• Paragraphs:

 

P1 For argument #1, against argument #4

P2 For argument #3, against argument #1

P3 For argument #2, against argument #3

 

• Summarise points and recapture contention/point of view.

• No new things here.

 

• Perhaps you do not want to use all of your arguments, e.g.

• For argument #4 and against argument # 2 are not strong enough to include in the essay.

 

*Tip: Show this to your teacher. Ask for further guidance.