Cannibalism Essay

Cannibalism has been around for many centuries, many will define it as the eating of one's own species. As we have seen throughout the media cannibalism has been a debated issue with many views and opinions. The morality of cannibalism is often judged based on specific measures. The most addressed question is; when is it morally acceptable to eat one's own kind?

"For as long as men had been sailing the World's oceans, famished sailors had been sustaining themselves on the remains of dead shipmates" (Philbrick). In the story of Nathaniel Philbrick, "In the Heart of the sea", twenty crew member of a tragic ship wreck succumb themselves to cannibalism. In desperation for food they started eating their crew member's body after they had passed away. The crew members considered their actions acceptable because they believed it was necessary for their survival. It is clear that there is nothing morally wrong happening. No one has been harmed, and that is the most important thing. The deceased are simply not around to care for what is happening to them. In the end of one's hope for survival we cannot be sure of what we will do. The natural human reaction is that it is better for one to live than to have everyone die.

When you get down to the basics of survival there is a completely different idea of what is justifiable and what is not. Many believe it is acceptable to eat a dead human's body in order to survive, but would it be lawful to kill for survival? In philbrick's book, "In the Heart of the sea," as well as Michael Sandel's book, "Justice: What's the right thing to do," we see how shipmates started casting lots in order for some of the sailors to survive. In one instance one of the shipmates says, "They should cast lots, to see who would be killed so that the rest could live" (Philbrick). Taking the life of a person without their consent or to benefit yourself is plain selfish and wrong. Killing period is immoral and should not be accepted. Everyone has a right to live and choosing to kill someone is not "the proper way for human beings to treat one another" (Sandel 33).

There are many circumstances where we as human beings with vast of cultural rules believe things are wrong or right. In the story of David F. Salisbury, "Giving cannibalism a human face"; native people would "consume members of their own group who died naturally" (Salisbury 1). This culture considered that there was nothing morally wrong with what they were doing because "cannibalism seem to be the best, most respectful, most loving way to deal with the death of someone you care about" (Salisbury 1). To them leaving a body to rot in the dirt was like what cannibalism would be too many Americans. Many cultures have their different views and if their loved ones wished for their bodies to be dealt with in this way, who are we