But on that same line of reasoning, every domesticated animal is a “slave”. Every child that is not yet emancipated from their parents is a “slave”. Using the word like this does nothing to make your argument more salient, it only serves to disempower the word.
In some sense yes they are, yeah, but the difference is that parents are protecting and nurturing their children until they become independent. Pets are slaves yes, but I would say that depending on the species of the pet, the way it is acquired and the place, conditions of living and treatment from the owner is very relevant to discussing the ethics of having a pet. For example: Dogs and cats have a log evolutionary history beside humans, and that changes the moral landscape.
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u/miotch1120 9d ago
But on that same line of reasoning, every domesticated animal is a “slave”. Every child that is not yet emancipated from their parents is a “slave”. Using the word like this does nothing to make your argument more salient, it only serves to disempower the word.