We are, quite literally, gambling with the future of our planet- for the sake of hamburgers

Should one break in and free the animals? That is illegal, but the obligation to obey the law is not absolute. It was justifiably broken by those who helped runaway slaves in the American South, to mention only one possible parallel.

The notion that human life is sacred just because it is human life is medieval.

Dolphins are social mammals, capable of enjoying their lives. They form close bonds with other members of their group.

Personal purity isn’t really the issue. Not supporting animal abuse – and persuading others not to support it – is.

According to classical utilitarianism, the only intrinsic good is happiness; the only intrinsic bad is pain. That implies no intrinsic value in preserving nature, that preserving an endangered plant is valuable only if it benefits humans or other animals. Intuitively, that seems wrong but perhaps I shouldn't trust my intuition here.

That's a central part of philosophy, of ethics. What do I owe to strangers? What do I owe to my family? What is it to live a good life? Those are questions which we face as individuals.