Veganism is a philosophy that seeks to exclude all forms of animal exploitation and cruelty as far as possible. It promotes alternatives to using animals for food, clothing or other purposes. The key differences between vegetarianism and veganism are that vegetarians consume dairy and eggs while vegans consume no animal products. Some benefits of veganism include preventing animal suffering, reducing environmental impacts like deforestation, and potential health benefits. However, veganism also faces issues like the risk of nutritional deficiencies if not properly planned and the actions of extremist vegans who threaten violence.