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Killing the lobster before cooking it is not only more humane, but cooking a live lobster makes the meat tougher. But you must dispatch the lobster just before cooking. The longer you wait the greater the risk of food poisoning.

Place the tip of a sharp chef's knife behind the lobster's eyes, right below where the claws meet the body and halfway to the first joint. Swiftly plunge the knife down through the head. The legs will continue to move a bit afterward but the lobster is in fact dead.

An alternative is to place the lobster in a freezer for 30-60 minutes. It won't freeze, but it will induce a state of torpor so it will be unconscious when you drop it into the boiling water.

A combination of these methods can be used if you're still squeamish.

There are electric stunning devices for lobsters, but they are much too expensive for consumers.