The scale of industrial agriculture makes maintaining individual welfare difficult, leading to debates over "ag-gag" laws and environmental impact.
: Primarily concerned with the physical and mental state of an animal. It is often measured by the Five Freedoms , which include freedom from hunger, thirst, discomfort, pain, and fear [28, 31]. Welfare frameworks typically allow for the use of animals by humans as long as "unnecessary suffering" is avoided [5, 29]. Welfare frameworks typically allow for the use of
In ancient Western thought, Aristotle asserted a hierarchy of nature where plants existed for animals, and animals existed for the sake of man. This instrumentalist view heavily influenced Western theology and law for centuries. Conversely, ancient Eastern philosophies—including Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism—embraced the concept of (non-injury to all living beings) and reincarnation, establishing a spiritual kinship between humans and non-human animals. The Enlightenment and the Industrial Shift ancient Eastern philosophies—including Hinduism