The Meaning of Life for Animals

In class on Wednesday we talked a lot about self consciousness and self awareness as it relates to animal's (including humans) mental states and abilities to suffer. Humans have the ability to think about the past, future, and present while other animals are only able to think about the past and now. But I feel as though that is why humans suffer. Sure animals definitly have memories, yet it doesn't effect them like our memories effect us. I'm pretty sure that animals don't have regrets. Thinking of the future is a big factor of human suffering because it brings about worries. Planning can be stressful and we make ourselves go through the pain to get our goals. yet, isn't that the fun of it? The harder the goal the more accomplished you feel when you achieve that goal.

Animals don't have complex goals like us so I feel like that reason alone justifies humans eating them. All cows do is eat grass all day... that's the sad truth. So what is the meaning of their lives? They cannot create a new invention, they cannot think complex thoughts, they cannot benefit society in anyway except for feeding us, so why don't we just accept their contribution to the world and to us? Of course I'm not saying that because their lives have no meaning that we should treat them inhumanely or cage them all their lives. If America all had free-range chickens and cows that would cost a lot of money for the farmers, the grocery stores, and the consumer. It would cost us three times the amount, which of course, causes more complaints. People are always complaining about something.

So my question is what is the meaning of live for animals?

*Note: These are not necessarily any of my opinions, I just enjoy being an ass sometimes.*