Eating plants is natural for the same reason that killing bacteria is natural. Every time I brush my teeth, I destroy thousands of bacteria, and so far I see nothing wrong with that.
The distinguishing characteristic between animals and bacteria is that animals are conscious beings capable of feeling pain and suffering. Animals can feel happiness, joy and sadness. They can want to live. Bacteria, on the other hand, like plants and stones, have nothing like a nervous system and show no behaviour that indicates consciousness. Bacteria cannot feel pain or suffering.
Bacteria cannot express a desire to live. Like plants and stones, they cannot feel anything at all.
When you kick a stone, you do not worry that you are causing it suffering or thwarting its desire to live, because stones are incapable of such feelings. That is why kicking a stone is not immoral, and that is why it is natural to eat plants.
Continue with these questions:
- How do you know that plants cannot feel pain?
- What would you do if we discovered that plants can feel pain?
- Do plants move their leaves to follow the sun?
- Are there religions that believe plants have souls?
- What about killing animals without causing them pain?
- How do you know whether other animals feel pain?
- Where does consciousness begin in the animal kingdom?
- Is it acceptable to kill animals that lack consciousness?
More answers: Vegan Ethics FAQ.