> There is no evidence that plants posess higher cognition or feel pain. Even if they did feel some modicum of pain, it doesn't lead to the conclusion that it's

> There is no evidence that plants posess higher cognition or feel pain. Even if they did feel some modicum of pain, it doesn't lead to the conclusion that it's ok to arbitrarily cause any being to suffer, especially those that obviously feel tremendous pain and actively avoid your advances. Oh agreed. All consumption of organic material other than fruiting bodies is morally dubious. I'm looking forward to better meat-cloning bc cannibalism is the only way to truly ensure consent. > I would hope that we as humans don't use the animal kingdom in general as our moral and ethical guidance, and rather use our higher cognitive abilities to make choices that reduce and eliminate unnecessary suffering. Why not? Octopuses have existed and most likely have been intelligence and consciousness since around the time trees showed up. We are the ignorant newcomers to intelligence and consciousness in comparison. It seems overwhelmingly likely they know things we don't. In the same vein, at some point you can't claim an animal is intelligent and conscious without holding it accountable. Sure plenty of animals do things we shouldn't emulate, but none are so close our peers. Octopuses are basically one inefficient blood chemistry away from full uplift. At some point we have to trust them to be behaving in accordance to their own moral code.