You don't need to resolve the philosophical paradox to act. Start where you are. Reduce your consumption of factory-farmed meat by 50%. Watch Dominion or Eating Our Way to Extinction . Donate to a farm sanctuary. The moral arc of the universe is long, but for the first time in history, it bends toward the animal. Bend it a little further today.
In the end, the debate over animal welfare and rights is a debate about what kind of species we want to be. Are we the species that merely reduces pain, or the species that refuses to inflict it in the first place? The answer will define the landscape of our planet for the next century. You don't need to resolve the philosophical paradox to act
The core belief is deontological : Animals have a right to life and liberty, just as humans do. Consequently, they should not be treated as property or resources to be consumed, regardless of how "humanely" they are raised. The most famous articulation comes from Australian philosopher Peter Singer (though he is technically a preference utilitarian, not a rights theorist) and, more rigorously, from Tom Regan. Watch Dominion or Eating Our Way to Extinction