Depends on what I am fishing for of course. If fishing for bass and you like the sport of it then you use artificial lures because part of it is tricking the fish into striking the lure. Anyone can catch fish with live bait. Could be true with some other types of fish as well as far as artificial lures go.
There is nothing wrong with catch and release and if done properly the vast majority of fish will live and strive. As far as stress goes by being caught and released, well, they still will bite again and again and again. I was with someone this last weekend who caught the same bass twice within a few minutes.
Bass are predators.