I'm pretty sure these are the only things that get cooked alive apart from clams and such but those aren't exactly sentient.

No it's a sign that we are getting at the point that we start to understand what that awareness is, how special/not special it is and how life is a gradient and not a set of hard rules for "ok to eat", "not ok to eat". Making you aware of efficiency (having another organized lifeform consume smaller les complex lifeforms and then eating that sentient lifeform seems very inefficient for the purpose of providing nutrients). And I'm no vegetarian, but I am rooting for Beyond burgers and other tasty plant based alternatives that gives us some soft landing from that fact. And from there on further.

No, it assumes there is non sentient life (true) and it assumes that sentient life doesn't like being boiled alive (true). It doesn't assume that non sentient life DOES like to be boiled alive.

Non-sentient life means anything without a central nervous system or anything resembling a brain. So, plants and fungi, single-celled organisms, clams and oysters etc etc.

I cook my vegetables fresh and screaming in agony. Does that count? (Plants are technically living. Sentient just means they’re an animal of awareness. There ARE animals that aren’t sentient, like coral.)

Most animals aren't cooked alive though so it's not something you need to look into. animals being prepped or cooked alive is disgusting

Soooo, I assume you're pro-life?

Bacteria

Respect life - yes, but not all life equally. Bacteria (germs as well as those that produce yoghurt), carrots and yeast are alive, too. You can't live (eat, drink, brathe) without killing, be it by slaughering chicken, chopping carrots, boiling water or having your immune system defend you. You CAN make a point by not causing avoidable suffering.

So then… do you eat?

I don't think sentience should matter half as much as whether or not the creature feels pain. Which I believe all animals do.

I don't know about a lobster's awareness of its own existence - only some mammals and I think a few birds have been able to demonstrate that with the mirror test. I thought sentient meant feeling sensations - like pain? Is there another definition or something about lobsters I never knew?

Do you kill bugs if they're in your home? Do you take antibiotics if you're sick? You've gotta draw the line somewhere

That assumption is so incredibly stupid and cruel. It serves only evil "humans". These creatures are aware of pain.

There's single cell life, which almost certainly is below the required complexity for sentience.

I'm so relieved to find another pro-lifer here! :)

No it doesn’t….you assume that those who made this decision can’t think past these species, since all life is not treated the same in preparation for dining your statements make little sense. Since all life is not eaten by humans the absolute of your statement misses a huge portion of reality. Is all life equal tasting?? If that were the case there would be not need to cook anything to improve its flavor nor add other ingredients to enhance taste, be it flies or fauna. One can respect life even as one puts all of its parts to use.

One step at a time.

So much agree!

I agree 100%

How do you boil broccoli?

How many other animals do you know that are boiled alive regularly?

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Plants tend to get cooked alive (or eaten alive, by the 'raw' brigades).

I see your point, but right wing politicians?

We always gave our cattle a bucket of grain and shot them in the brain while they ate. Dying happy and oblivious seems like the best way to go. Kind of a way to thank them. Far better than being eaten alive like in nature.

The video with that girl crying because she was hurt by a live octopus she was trying to eat is very satisfying!!! I have no empathy for her! She deserved it

I’ve never heard of people eating live octopus! That’s just cruel.

This was brilliant of your school to do. It would be beneficial for everyone to do this for a day. Meat-eater or vegetarian, we should all be aware of where our food comes from and what the processes are.