Ever heard of the food chain? It's not something that we humans invented. It's a vital part of nature. Ever heard of pecking order? It's not something that we humans invented. It's a vital part of nature. Yes. Food chain = pecking order. What is your point? Food chain =/= pecking order. Pecking order just says that the stronger will take advantage of his strength, to ensure he gets as much as possible and keep the strongest. Pecking order is established between members of the same species, between siblings and such. Point is that we neither need meat (as was somehow suggested by your food chain comment), nor do we need slavery (as i was basically referring to with my comment). What was your point again with the food chain comment? Your original post said that dividing subservience at the species level is arbitrary. I said that it is not arbitrary at all because it is the food chain. No matter what you attempt to compare eating meat to (slavery, pecking order, etc), the fact remains that it is an action of the food chain and, therefore, of Nature.