But lions eat meat.
THE VEGAN HAS ENTERED THE CHAT.
Lions also eat their own babies sometimes. Maybe not our moral compass?
Lions don’t have grocery stores, supplements or a choice. They eat meat or they die. You, reading this on a phone, have options. We don’t usually copy animals when deciding how to behave. Animals steal food, fight over mates and mark territory in ways your neighbors would not appreciate. “An animal does it” isn’t a reason for us to do it. If your real point is that humans need meat to be healthy, that’s a nutrition question, and we’re happy to look at it. But that’s a different argument from “lions do it.”
THE KEY DISTINCTION
What animals do isn’t a guide for what humans should do.
SHOW ME THE RECEIPTS
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy · Living reference
Background on moral reasoning. Philosophy—not experimental proof that a particular diet is morally required.
NIH · MedlinePlus · 2025
Explains essential amino acids and protein from plant foods; individual requirements still vary.
Evidence and reasoning reviewed 2026-10-14. Philosophical sources clarify reasoning; they do not scientifically settle moral values.