I disagree that using animals for conventional purposes involves an avoidable harm for animals.
Claims that animals are not harmed in practice:
A. Animals are not avoidably harmed for fur.
Refutation
B. Animals are not avoidably harmed for leather.
Refutation
C. Animals are not avoidably harmed for meat production.
Refutation
D. Animals are not avoidably harmed for experiments.
Refutation
E. Animals are not avoidably harmed in circuses.
Refutation
F. Animals are not avoidably harmed in rodeos.
Refutation
G. Animals are not avoidably harmed in zoos.
Refutation
H. Animals are not avoidably harmed in hunting for fun.
Refutation
Claims that animals are not harmed in principle:
I. Animals cannot be harmed because they are mindless and so feel no pain.
Refutation
J. Animals cannot be harmed because they do not have continuity of consciousness: they are clueless amnesiacs.
Refutation
K. Animals cannot be harmed because they cannot use language.
Refutation
L. Animals cannot be harmed because they do not have self-consciousness.
Refutation
M. Animals cannot be harmed because they are not rational.
Refutation
N. Animals cannot be harmed in any morally significant way because they are incapable of morality.
Refutation
RETURN TO MAIN ARGUMENT