[Vision2020] Intelligence of Pigs: Pigs As Pets Or Food?

[Ted Moffett]

Donovan et. al.

There have been periods I have avoided eating pig meat, when I still ate
chicken or fish, based on the scientific fact that pigs are rather
intelligent animals.  Not that I justify cruelty or mistreatment of animals
of lower intelligence.  After all, pain may not be a perception that
requires high intelligence to experience, nor "person hood" either (just had
to sneak that in given the abortion debate is back on Vision2020).

I know this may sound laugable to many because pigs are thought of as such,
well, dirty and "piggy" animals, and we call people "pigs" when we mean to
be mean.  Too bad for the real pigs, who are smart animals.

Donovan has an important point about pigs and intelligence regarding how we
treat them as food animals.

However, his implication that Megan should focus instead on opposing abuse
of pigs served as food in Moscow, seems an attempt to de-legitimize her
focus on foie gras.  No one can take on every cause!

If we think it reasonable to give more humane treatment to animals of higher
intelligence (many regard harming primates and dolphins to be far worse than
harming a cow or a chicken due to the scientific basis that dolphins and
primates are much higher in intelligence) based on these qualities, then
pigs are "mistreated" as a food animal in a manner that seems to indicate
their intelligence is not given proper respect.  We don't serve dog or cat
at restaurants.  Why?  Pigs are very bit as deserving of respect for their
emotional and intellectual faculties as dogs or cats are, and if not, it is
only an irrational emotional attachment (or maybe it's the cuddly fur, which
pigs do not possess. or the unique behavior patterns of dogs and cats that
fit human needs) to some animals as "pets" that justifies humane treatment
of dogs and cats while pigs are treated terribly:

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/oap/story.php?S_No=138&storyType=oap&cmd=pf


As a bioethicist, Croney teaches and conducts research focusing on the
ethical treatment of animals. She came to OSU in 2001, a few years after
completing her groundbreaking dissertation research on the cognitive
capacity of pigs.

"This research was unique in that the subjects of the study were a common
farm animal," said Croney. "Up to that time, the subjects of these kinds of
studies were usually non-human primates or monkeys."

Croney's research examined the problem-solving abilities of pigs. She
demonstrated that pigs could learn tasks that required them to use computers
and joysticks to identify specific onscreen targets.

"As a result of the study I gained a new appreciation for the intelligence
of pigs," she said. "They were able to learn tasks that dogs and even some
very young children could not do."

The study launched Croney's career in behavior research using agricultural
production animals.

"Up to the time of the study, almost no one in this country was studying
farm animal cognition and mentality and the impact of these characteristics
on animal well-being," Croney said. "What we learn about the intelligence of
animals ought to help us understand what really matters to them, as opposed
to what we think should matter, in regard to their quality of life."

------------------------

More on the intelligence of pigs from a pro-vegan site:

http://www.goveg.com/f-hiddenlivespigs_experts.asp

-------------------------

Ted Moffett



On 8/25/06, Donovan Arnold <donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com > wrote:
>
> Maybe the Newspaper and/or Megan has misunderstood what Mr. Foucachon
> said. I bet that is the case.
>
> My question is why Megan would protest the mistreatment of birds when pigs
> are mistreated and served everywhere in Moscow. Sounds to me like they are
> just making things up to protest about because the restaurant is connect to
> NSA.
>
> Best,
>
> _DJA
>
>
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