Ethical Appetites: Balancing Conscience, Necessity, and the Moral Barnyard

Jimin Ryu (1)

(1) Frankfurt International School (FIS)

December 26th, 2025

Animal agriculture, or the act of raising livestock for food, is a thorny ethical issue. From a philosophical standpoint, this topic intersects the spheres of ethical philosophy, nutritional necessity, and ecological sustainability. This literature review examines the ethical complexities and moral tensions surrounding animal husbandry by drawing on relational ethics, welfare science, and life comparative account frameworks to assess the obligations humans hold toward domesticated animals. While abolitionist perspectives advocate for a complete termination of animal husbandry, this review argues that reform—rather than complete abolition—offers a more coherent and moral response. Acknowledging the co-evolutionary interdependence between humans and livestock, the paper promotes the reduction of suffering through improved welfare standards. This paper also synthesizes evidence on the irreplaceable nutritional role of animal products in promoting cognitive development for vulnerable populations, alongside animal products’ role in ecological stability. Furthermore, the paper explores the ecological and social risks of removing livestock systems, highlighting both global market dependence and the potential for sustainable, small-scale alternatives. Ultimately, this review argues that cultivating systems of principled stewardship, reciprocal care, and sustainable coexistence provides the most ethically consistent and practically sustainable way forward for how humans and animals can seek a peaceful, actionable, and mutually-beneficial coexistence.

Key-words: Animal welfare, Relational ethics, Agricultural reform, Nutritional necessity

Article Type: Review Article

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