this post was submitted on 06 Mar 2024
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Did automobiles replacing horses, diminishing horse population, diminishing horse suffering -- as a consequence of work forced upon the animals. Is that moral win for horses; less suffering? Although their population is vastly smaller than 130 years ago.

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[โ€“] [email protected] 25 points 8 months ago (5 children)

There's a philosophical paradox about this called the "repugnant conclusion". Technically, it's supposed to be about humans, not horses, but the logic is the same.

The main conclusion was that it's better to have a larger population that's worse off than a smaller one that's better off because it's better to exist than not exist.

Personally, I think the opposite is true, but there's not a "right" answer.

[โ€“] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago

it is obviously better to never have been. Not even sure we are now. Boltzmann Brains https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boltzmann_brain

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