Philosophy Now Forum

Is it unethical or immoral to kill insects that I don't want occupying my living spaces?

In some sense, I think it is. And yet, if I do not kill them, then they will unbearably overrun my living space and drive me insane from watching them crawling everywhere.

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Sun Jul 14, 2024 12:09 pm Is it unethical or immoral to kill insects that I don't want occupying my living spaces?

In some sense, I think it is. And yet, if I do not kill them, then they will unbearably overrun my living space and drive me insane from watching them crawling everywhere.

I would say it is morally wrong.

Harbal wrote: ↑Sun Jul 14, 2024 12:49 pm

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Sun Jul 14, 2024 12:09 pm Is it unethical or immoral to kill insects that I don't want occupying my living spaces?

In some sense, I think it is. And yet, if I do not kill them, then they will unbearably overrun my living space and drive me insane from watching them crawling everywhere.

I would say it is morally wrong.

Yes. It seems that way to me as well.

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Sun Jul 14, 2024 12:51 pm

Harbal wrote: ↑Sun Jul 14, 2024 12:49 pmI would say it is morally wrong.

Yes. It seems that way to me as well.

Why?

Sometimes you have no choice. If you see ant scouts you really have to kill them or they go back and tell all their friends about the goodies they found and then you get up one morning and your kitchen is over-run with them.
Only idiots kill spiders though. They are the best pest control system.
I rarely kill anything and always feel bad if I do. I try to just put things back outside that I don't want in the house.

henry quirk wrote: ↑Sun Jul 14, 2024 12:56 pm

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Sun Jul 14, 2024 12:51 pm

Harbal wrote: ↑Sun Jul 14, 2024 12:49 pmI would say it is morally wrong.

Yes. It seems that way to me as well.

Why?

Because they are living beings and it feels wrong to me to kill them.

accelafine wrote: ↑Sun Jul 14, 2024 1:00 pm Sometimes you have no choice. If you see ant scouts you really have to kill them or they go back and tell all their friends about the goodies they found and then you get up one morning and your kitchen is over-run with them.
Only idiots kill spiders though. They are the best pest control system.
I rarely kill anything and always feel bad if I do. I try to just put things back outside that I don't want in the house.

I used to try to do that but lately, I've been squashing roaches and flushing baby snakes down the toilet when I find them in the house. I was a pescatarian for a while as well for moral reasons, but I gave that up too. These days I just don't have the energy and patience to put in the extra effort.

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Sun Jul 14, 2024 1:01 pmBecause they are living beings and it feels wrong to me to kill them.

Yeah, I thought it might be sumthin' like that.

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Sun Jul 14, 2024 1:06 pm

accelafine wrote: ↑Sun Jul 14, 2024 1:00 pm Sometimes you have no choice. If you see ant scouts you really have to kill them or they go back and tell all their friends about the goodies they found and then you get up one morning and your kitchen is over-run with them.
Only idiots kill spiders though. They are the best pest control system.
I rarely kill anything and always feel bad if I do. I try to just put things back outside that I don't want in the house.

I used to try to do that but lately, I've been squashing roaches and flushing baby snakes down the toilet when I find them in the house. I was a pescatarian for a while as well for moral reasons, but I gave that up too. These days I just don't have the energy and patience to put in the extra effort.

Snakes? What the fuck. And what a horrible thing to do. How would you like to be flushed down the toilet? Do you live in the jungle or something? Maybe move and give the land back to the creatures whose habitat you stole.

accelafine wrote: ↑Sun Jul 14, 2024 1:10 pm

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Sun Jul 14, 2024 1:06 pm

accelafine wrote: ↑Sun Jul 14, 2024 1:00 pm Sometimes you have no choice. If you see ant scouts you really have to kill them or they go back and tell all their friends about the goodies they found and then you get up one morning and your kitchen is over-run with them.
Only idiots kill spiders though. They are the best pest control system.
I rarely kill anything and always feel bad if I do. I try to just put things back outside that I don't want in the house.

I used to try to do that but lately, I've been squashing roaches and flushing baby snakes down the toilet when I find them in the house. I was a pescatarian for a while as well for moral reasons, but I gave that up too. These days I just don't have the energy and patience to put in the extra effort.

Snakes? What the fuck. And what a horrible thing to do. How would you like to be flushed down the toilet? Do you live in the jungle or something? Maybe move and give the land back to the creatures whose habitat you stole.

I don't have the energy to do that either.

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Sun Jul 14, 2024 1:11 pm

accelafine wrote: ↑Sun Jul 14, 2024 1:10 pm

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Sun Jul 14, 2024 1:06 pm

I used to try to do that but lately, I've been squashing roaches and flushing baby snakes down the toilet when I find them in the house. I was a pescatarian for a while as well for moral reasons, but I gave that up too. These days I just don't have the energy and patience to put in the extra effort.

Snakes? What the fuck. And what a horrible thing to do. How would you like to be flushed down the toilet? Do you live in the jungle or something? Maybe move and give the land back to the creatures whose habitat you stole.

I don't have the energy to do that either.

Maybe keep your house clean then and they won't be so attracted to it. And snakes are not insects by the way.

accelafine wrote: ↑Sun Jul 14, 2024 1:13 pm

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Sun Jul 14, 2024 1:11 pm

accelafine wrote: ↑Sun Jul 14, 2024 1:10 pm

Snakes? What the fuck. And what a horrible thing to do. How would you like to be flushed down the toilet? Do you live in the jungle or something? Maybe move and give the land back to the creatures whose habitat you stole.

I don't have the energy to do that either.

Maybe keep your house clean then and they won't be so attracted to it. And snakes are not insects by the way.

We do keep it clean. Roaches always find something to get into, though. And the snakes are probably there to chase them. We caught three baby snakes in the house this week. They're about the size of a fishing worm. Our cat likes to play with them when she finds one.

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Sun Jul 14, 2024 1:06 pm I've been squashing roaches and flushing baby snakes down the toilet

Flushing snakes down the toilet is definitely wrong, Gary; can't you just take them outside, and let them go.

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Sun Jul 14, 2024 1:01 pm

henry quirk wrote: ↑Sun Jul 14, 2024 12:56 pm

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Sun Jul 14, 2024 12:51 pmYes. It seems that way to me as well.

Why?

Because they are living beings and it feels wrong to me to kill them.

It's wrong because they have a natural right to life, liberty and property.

Harbal wrote: ↑Sun Jul 14, 2024 1:27 pm

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Sun Jul 14, 2024 1:06 pm I've been squashing roaches and flushing baby snakes down the toilet

Flushing snakes down the toilet is definitely wrong, Gary; can't you just take them outside, and let them go.

I suppose you're right. I could throw them outside.