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Anything, living or not, can be exploited. Being a person or nonhuman animal does not exempt one.

Are we exploiting plants when we grow them for food?

Not sure if you're being facetious not, but that is an interesting question.

I'd wager that it isn't exploitative however, because plants are not sentient, and (AFAWK), do not have thought/feelings or emotions.

Not facetious. Parent said “anything live can be exploited”.

I guess my next question would be - if a lion eats a gazelle. Is it exploiting the gazelle?