Tom Regan interviewed on the Late Late Show Part 4 of 4.

[swimmer24100]

Lawl at that douchebag who brought up third-world countries. Factory farming is the leading cause of world hunger.

[AntiSpeciesistWorld]

the guy in the black t-shirt talking at the start is just... ugh I'm not even gonna go there, we all know how ridiclious his statement is, I can't believe that the crowd applauded him, ha this is gonna be so funny to look at for everyone 50 years from now because of how ridiclious it was.

[TheGoonie1985]

@AntiSpeciesistWorld

You found nothing but red-necks, thugs, and intelectually handicapped people in that crowd. That explains why they applauded all those silly statements. Hats off to Mr. Reagan for standing his ground without losing his cool.

[AntiSpeciesistWorld]

@TheGoonie1985 completely agreed, I'd find it difficult to stay calm with the majority in support of something so silly.

[gyrate4]

Thick group. Tom may as well be talking to a group of american southerners. Very dismissive "good ole boy attiude" in that audience. They hardly let him speak.

[gilliangirl1]

Poor Tom, he really has his work cut out for him with this audience. Get that guy comparing an appendics operation to slaughtering an animal? Good grief. This is clear evidence to me that eating meat reduces a person's IQ level! And that Elvis Presley wannabe, what a pompous ass (with an edge of misogeny added)

[pete26785]

where did they find the black haired gimp? what a brain dead buffoon.

[conn6m]

I think it would have been better if there was some actual opposition to Dr Reagan. I don't call a Butcher. or Factory farmer a worthy opponent to such a famous figure

[TheTvrulesthenation]

does anybody think the guy in the black shirt looks like one of those fat Vegas Elvis impersonators? :P

[yaaaaaaaaaaaarghhh]

Man, I was half-expecting that guy in the black shirt to die of a heart attack in mid-speech.

[seanybyne1982]

Briilliant!! I am really looking forward to learning more about all of this... thanks fory your time on this my friend... much appreciated ;)

[Guaguanco11]

The first speech that the guy in black gives is a classic example of someone responding to an argument they don't like by using empty rhetoric rather then counter-argument. I think there are several strong lines of counter-argument one can give against Regan's argument for animal rights. So, if you disagree why not pursue those lines?

[grandampersand]

Most of the arguments in defense of the claim that humans are entitled to eat meat (i.e., because it tastes good, because our teeth/bodies are capable of doing it) lend equal support to the conclusion that we are entitled to eat other humans. LIke professor Regan said, just because we are able to do something, doesn't mean we ought to. In general, one person's physical ability to do something can never trump the rights of another. So again this begs the question against the rights of animals.

[grandampersand]

The argument from taste (i.e., I enjoy the taste, therefore I am entitled to eat it) is obviously fallacious. Moreover it is susceptible to numerous parodies to show this. If the fact that I like the taste of something alone validates my right to eat it, then aren't cannibals thereby equally entitled to thier right to eat humans? No, because humans have rights. The argument from taste therefore begs the question against the debate about animal rights.

[ASRIBEIRIO]

The guy in the black was so ridiculous I almost have to assume he was trolling. Nobody is that stupid or sick. Even people who eat animals usually don't express that kind of sick blood lust about it.

[TheTvrulesthenation]

I gotta hand it to Tom, he handled this exceptionally well & kept cool. He basically was being asked the same question from a different situation & repeating himself for 30 odd mins. I think most people would snap, the girl in green presumably a vegetarian (& one who prob did more harm for animal rights/Vegetarian stereotype than good on live tv) snapped within seconds at that absolute muppet in black.

[seanybyne1982]

@TheTvrulesthenation

I understand.... and I guess you are right to say she "May" have created harm.... but my god.. its hard to keep your cool head on when you have to deal with people like this (guy in black shirt). I dont know how many times I have had to zip my lip when I am confronted with a meat eater! You feel like ringing there neck!!

[TheTvrulesthenation]

seanybyne1982

I dont blame her for snapping out whatsoever the guy in black is an arsehole of the highest order, heck half the comments some from meat eating folks concur. Just obv doesn't look good on TV or promote a good view on vegetarianism, Regan really didnt get to sink his teeth into his own arguments though

[seanybyne1982]

@TheTvrulesthenation

Yeah I see... Its the first time I have come across Tom... Very interesting guy. Any other good videos you can recommend? :)

[TheTvrulesthenation]

seanybyne1982

He's got a few lectures on YT (uploaded by users) which are worth a look, if philosophy is your thing his books are damn good though quite heavily trenched in countering various philosophical views. If your new to the animal rights movement or in general animal rights philosophers Peter Singer & Gary Francione are two other highly distinguished people whos books/articles are much more digestable and aimed at the larger population

[seanybyne1982]

@TheTvrulesthenation

Super!! Thanks TheTvrulesthenation, I really appreciate your help on this. I have heard of Peter Singer before. I will look into those other resources you mentioned. Its a fascinating subject and I want to become more involved. I used to be a meat eater... and a happy one at that... until my life changed completely when I saw the documentary "earthlings" I am now vegetarian for 2.5 years and I couldnt be happier knowing that I dont contrubute to the slaughering of animals

[TheTvrulesthenation]

seanybyne1982

Animal liberation the book by peter singer, you'll fly through it its only about 220 pages & is ''the bible'' of the animal rights movement, an extremely popular book. That being said (& as a vegetarian myself who is still researching all of this movement), we do contribute to the slaughtering of animals indirectly when we support eggs/dairy/leather-fur etc/animal tested products. Some would even argue that dairy industries are more cruel

I find it harder to justify my reasoning

[TheTvrulesthenation]

@seanybyne1982

(CONT)...to justify my reasoning for being vegetarian ie ethical ''for the animals'' when i still contribute to indirect suffering on such a large avoidable scale.

Gary Francione a vegan law philosopher is mainly who has sparked my rethinking, like others his lectures etc are online here

[TheTvrulesthenation]

Was the eejit in black even listening to Tom or too stupid to cop what he was saying? He addressed all of the points made before this question, his rhetoric seems good to the crowd though. The pig farmers point on an animal having no awareness of its death is 1) not true in MANY MANY documented cases & a ridiculous assertion & 2) Temple Grandin a far far more influentia person in bioethics of raising livestock and meat-eater herself would completely disagree with him

[ZoldierrZzz]

"A man can live and be healthy without killing animals for food; therefore, if he eats meat, he participates in taking animal life merely for the sake of his appetite. And to act so is immoral."

- Leo Tolstoy

Indeed.

[060515657]

i love that woman in green, the clever one that looks like a 50-50 combination between john and yoko..

[Slingdash]

That c*nt speaking at the start should b ashamed of himself. Suffering is no laughing matter, and he totally disregards the suffering and cruelty that goes on in the meat industry by admitting that he is happy to shut himself off from the reality of the horrors inflicted therein, for the sake of eating something that tastes good.

Wonder if he has pets? How can people put their beloved pets into one category, yet put farm animals into a completely different one -which most do?

WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!

[joolenka]

Just because we "can" do something doesn't mean we should. Tom Reagan, you are my hero for keeping together as the deeply ignorant (and in my opinion, borderline sociopathic) fool in black kept spewing his nonsense.

[NEUHEITEN100]

The guy in black and the veggie book worm are actors. The fight between them was staged..

[dougcapehart]

Tom Regan is the fuckin man! He was so cool, calm and collected when my head would've exploded

[jkraju1]

I really appreciate Tom Regan's cool response to all the silly and ridiculous questions

[normalguyable]

meat si murder, the guy in the black is a coward!!!!

[xxdiogenescynicxx]

What a dumb argument, that because you like to do something you should do it.

[andreesophia]

That guy in black deserves a punch in the face.

[cutesmile8611]

That guy in black is an arrogant prick! Haha

[ShotAnimalAbusers]

A DUH! A cat, dog, lion, bear ect... they r REAL meat eaters! They dont have to cheat nature to catch and kill their pray like humans do plus meat doesnt clog their arteries!!!! We should ONLY eat meat when we HAVE to. We had to durning the ice age. We had no other choice!

[moomin468]

I love that the only defence the guy in black shirt gives is Nihilism - just deny morality exists at all! What an arrogant ignoramus >.<

[koala8]

to be honest, i think European cuisine will be nothing without meat...they dont have as many roots/herbs/spices and different range of vegetables compared to other Asian countries...thats why they have no choice but to eat meat imo...

[treesandmusic]

I disagree with that theory of "meat" making brains grow as to arrive where we are as in some advanced state of being... that sounds ridiculous when you sit back and think about it.... maybe it would cause BRAIN DAMAGE if anything

[BrideAndGroomFilmsHD]

The guy in black thinks he's smart - what an arsehole.

[moomin468]

ahh, the real argument 'i like meat'. Well, I like baby sandwiches - bring me one. I like sex so bring me a woman whether she consents or not. Eating meat is only justified on nihilism.

[porolita22]

That guy in black is the finest example of the decadence of humanity. Egoism, apathy, and flat out idiocy.

[henkerugi]

That guy in black is just disgusting. I like how Tom looks at him as he says his speciesist and unmoral sentences. We eat meat because we like it? Rapists rape because they like it. Oh, how lovely the consequences of such an ethic would be... There are people who can't count to 2. And to all the BS he even dares to mention Nietzsche. He certainly has never read something of Nietzsche. And Nietzsche was fond of the idea of vegetarianism. Well, what else to say: Abolish slavery, go vegan!

[GOLUCKY222]

Wow, even back in 2000 Ian O Doherty was a complete cunt.

[VeganInside]

There is nothing greater than human egoism. The guy in black is an ideal example of typical human being - he is aware that animals suffer, but he likes meat; he chooses taste over morality.

[grayfox189]

@VeganInside

What disgusts me more than his statements is the fact that everyone ends up clapping for the bullshit he speaks..

[VeganInside]

@grayfox189

Yes, how the hell could anyone support the bullshit he spoke? I guess most of them share the same thoughts about non-human animals so the clapping comes naturally, like a defense mechanism I guess.

[Pincus666]

Unfortunately Tom Regan didn't mention things like the flesh of humans (usually infants, as they are like non-human animals in that they cannot recognise their own reflection in a mirror), and the fact that there really isn't a difference between a sadist who abuses animals for fun, and everybody else who pay others to mutilate and murder non-humans because they enjoy the taste or the nutrient denseness.

Gary Francione is way more provocative, thought provoking, and offensive.

5/5 though.

[cmdthomson]

@Pincus666 Of courses there's a difference between "a sadist who abuses animals for fun, and everybody else who pay others to mutilate and murder non-humans because they enjoy the taste or the nutrient denseness". It's ignorance!

But that comparison is what is giving animal rights a bad name! You have to understand that nice people do bad things not because they are actually evil but because they don't understand. You can't be offensive to non-vegans because you will just push them away.

[Pincus666]

@cmdthomson

True. They are ignorant. Nevertheless, the consequences for the animals is the same.

Still, I think Franciones comparisons are thought provoking. As long as you discuss it, and not simply say non-vegans are animal abusers, I think it won't put people off.

[beaelliott]

Thank you for posting this interview. I agree totally with the argument that simply because we can, or have eaten animals in the past, we should continue to do so now. It's a terribly flawed premise. The answer to the question of "should we" - or course is "NO"! Please live thoughtfully - Go Vegan :)