Cultured meat: Will it separate us from nature?

Abstract

In vitro meat, or cultured meat, is one of the ideas that are being proposed to help solve the problems associated with the ever growing global meat consumption. The prospect is a source or great moral hope, but also generates doubts and criticism. In this paper, we focus on worries about (1) the alleged unnaturalness of in vitro meat; and (2) the possible deterioration of our relations with nature and animals. We will argue that arguments about (un)naturalness take us to any conclusion we want. As to our relations with nature and animals, we think it more plausible that cultured meat will lead to improvement than to deterioration.