The Importance of Treating Sentient Beings With Respect

Buddhism is part of a Chinese tradition, part of their ethics and certainly I think a true understanding of Buddhist ethics would say this is not acceptable. At what point do you decide that a creature doesn't experience those things that is no longer sentient? That's an open scientific question and we have to assemble the best evidence we can. Oysters have very rudimentary nervous systems and they don't move they can't run away from a sense of danger so I think many other creatures who can move have evolved capacities to feel pain to warn them of danger.