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How are humans not animals that evolved in a way that we must kill animals? For the vast majority of human history we did. Relatively recently only we didn't (~12000y ago), though we still hunted after agriculture, and raised animals to eat, so it's debatably maybe the last maybe few hundred years only, or maybe as late as ~100 years with global commerce.
Sure, we maybe don't have to now, but we did evolve needing to. Us not needing to isn't evolutionarily created, but an artifact of modern trade and industry. It hasn't been long enough to really affect our evolution.
Also, as much as I'm against factory farms, I don't know if we're even at a point where we could farm zero animals. Stuff produced by animals is still required for many things. We should work to reduce it, but I don't think we can be at zero yet most likely.
Edit: I have a somewhat unrelated question that I've been curious about from a vegan's perspective. How do you feel about eating oysters? They can't feel pain or anything, so in my opinion they're one of the most ethical sources of protein. They are technically an animal though. I don't know if you've ever thought about this, but I've been thinking about it a lot. In my mind they're essentially a plant that's made out of meat. In fact it may be more ethical in many ways than some plants that consume a lot of resources.
I am not naive to think that we can end factory farming tomorrow. Like you said, it's something that will happen gradually (but not too slow I hope). I am not aware of any animal product for which there aren't already alternatives. Do you have examples?
As for the bivalve discussion, while they do not have brains, the do have a very limited nervous system that can react. For example, oysters close up in the presence of predators like crabs. I think it is an individual decision of where to draw the line in this circumstance. I do not eat bivalves.
As for the sustainability aspect, I do not think they would be more sustainable than plant based alternatives like soy and lentils, especially given the existing infrastructure. To harvest bivalves in the quantities needed if you removed all other animal for sources would likely be devastating for the ecosystem. Meanwhile, 83% of agricultural land use goes to animal feed. Yet animals account only for 37% of consumed protein and 18% of consumed calories. That means that if we convert all the land usage dedicated for animal feed to human crops, we would have more than plenty for all humanity without even using all the currently used land.
Source for the above percentages. Direct pdf link to the paper above.
Yeah, I'm not saying they'll replace meat consumption. It's just a question of how do you think it's viewed by vegans. However, about sustainability, the cool thing about oysters is it doesn't really take input. They filter the water and grow, then we consume them. The economy of consuming oysters has actually helped fund restoration efforts to increase oyster populations in a lot of places, so they have a positive feedback on sustainability right now at least.
Yeah, if we were to try to replace all protein with them it probably would be negative, but I think, right now, they're an amazing source for ethical and sustainable protein. If you're not fine with eating them that's cool, but I think more people should and it'd have positive benefits ecologically and ethically.
I know animals are often used for medical applications. Not just testing, but for growing things. I think insulin used to be produced in some animal, but I think that's switched mostly, if not entirely, to yeast. I have no idea if there's anything industrially that can't be replaced, but I know animal products are used in many applications. I would be surprised if there's not at least one that has no alternative yet, but I don't have the knowledge to say.