Also, perhaps eating meat is not morally right. Fine, there's no argument to say that it's a morally right. HOWEVER, I can still choose to act immorally and have steak dinner, and I will! You see, I think that I don't really care so much if something can be argued to be immoral - as long as I don't feel guilt.

Sure, something that I've done for a long time without much thought could be shown to me to be immoral due to its consequences on other conscious beings. That realisation should then have the effect of causing me to feel guilt when doing it in the future. Somehow I don't get that from eating meat, no guilt whatsoever. In fact, quite the opposite.

In regards to the Sam's argument about creatures with a richer experience than our own- It might be argued that there are reasons why those creatures might be considered more important than us, but moral or not I think that most human's urges and instincts would be towards empathy with our own species.

I think that acting out of empathy for our own species as opposed to empathy with a species of "higher" beings, if they existed, is what would result in the most well being FOR US. Surely thats what matters TO US.