AMANDA NSOFOR
130118
PHIL 320
Critical Review Of “The Limits of Trooghaft” By Desmond Stewart
“The limit of Trooghaft” by Desmond Stewart uses the relationship between the Troogs and humans to bring light to the harsh treatment of animals by humans in todays society. The four castes of humans: house men, capons, hounds-men and quarry men represent the divisions of animals that we have today. The house men are just like the animals used as pets and entertainment. Like pets, the house men have been genetically modified to deal with the demand for them. They are also bred specifically to be used as pets. The capons are like the farm animals reared for food. Just like in the feed lots, the capons are kept docile, in cages to make them immobile
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The first reason is superiority. Humans are superior so they should not stoop low to participate in animalistic behaviour. The equation of protein to alcohol, explains that the success or progression of superior beings isn’t propelled by the consumption of flesh but rather is derailed by it.
“We never ate flesh before the nova; nor on our journey. We adopted the practice from reading the minds of lower creatures, then copying them. Our corruption shows in new diseases… it shows in our characters. … our forms are not apt for ingesting so much protein.”
This emphasizes Trooghaft’s reasoning; if Troogs are superior, then why copy the ways of the lesser. Although this doesn’t support the claim that animals should be an end in themselves and not a means to our end, the superiority approach still advocates for vegetarianism because it explains that humans will be better off if we didn’t eat animals. If animals are not eaten but are still treated poorly and used for scientific experiments and for pleasure an entertainment, then no solution is provided. This is where the definition of ‘superiority’ and or ‘dominion’ comes into question. If superiority is seen in terms of stewardship, then human beings have a mandate to take care of animals and protect them from harm. The concept of stewardship still involves superiority but more importantly, it involves responsibility. Animals are members of the earth community and so they should be protected and cared for to ensure mutual survival and