On the other hand, an argumentative essay on animal testing can be written from the point of view of the advantages of the use of animals in medicine. It is wrong to hurt living beings, but it is necessary to test the safety of new products before using them for the benefit of people. Typically, rats are the first animals used for research Animal Testing Is A Controversial Issue For A Significant Time Frame Essay Words | 6 Pages Animal testing Abstract: Animal testing also known as animal experimentation has become a controversial issue for a long blogger.comg on animals has enormously increased with the advancement of research and development in medical field May 14, · Research; Animal Testing Essay; Animal Testing Essay. Page 1 of 50 - About essays. Animal Testing:Animal Testing Is Unethical? Words | 3 Pages. Animal Testing Clorox, Johnson & Johnson, Covergirl, Colgate; all of these bands are well known and very popular. They also are four of the biggest name brands that still test their products on
The Ethics of Animal Experimentation – HOPES Huntington's Disease Information
Many medical research institutions make use of non-human animals as test subjects. Animals may be subject to experimentation or modified into conditions useful for gaining knowledge about human disease or for testing potential human treatments. Because animals as distant from humans as mice and rats share many physiological and genetic similarities with humans, animal experimentation can be tremendously helpful for furthering medical science. However, there is an ongoing debate about the ethics of animal experimentation.
Some people argue that all animal experimentation should end because it is wrong to treat animals merely as tools for furthering knowledge.
According to this point of view, an animal should have as much right as a human being to live out a full life, free of pain and suffering. Others argue that while it is wrong to unnecessarily abuse animals, animal experimentation must continue because of the enormous scientific resource that animal models provide. Proponents of continued animal experimentation often also point out that progress can still be made to improve the conditions of laboratory animals and they fully support efforts to improve living conditions in laboratories, to use anesthesia appropriately, and to require trained personnel to handle animals, animal research essay.
On closer scrutiny, there exists a wide range of positions on the debate over the ethics of animal testing. The two views mentioned above represent two common positions at the opposing ends of the spectrum. Others endorse a view closer to the middle of the spectrum. Usually, this middle view accepts experimentation on some, but not all, animals and aims to avoid unnecessary use animal research essay animals in scientific research by pursuing alternatives to animal testing.
The following sections briefly outline a few of the arguments for and against animal experimentation. They do not represent every possible argument, or even necessarily the best arguments. They also do not necessarily reflect the views of the HOPES team. They are simply our effort to review and raise awareness of the underlying issues. An important part of the debate over animal rights centers on the question of the moral status of an animal. Most people agree that animals have at least some moral status — that is why it is wrong animal research essay abuse pets or needlessly hurt other animals.
This alone represents a shift from a past view where animals had no moral status and treating an animal well was more about maintaining human standards of dignity than respecting any innate rights of the animal.
In modern times, the question has shifted from whether animals have moral status to how much moral status they have and what rights come with that status. The strongest pro animal rights answer to this question would be that non-human animals have exactly the same moral status as humans and are entitled to equal treatment. The ethicists who endorse this position do not mean that animals are animal research essay to the very same treatment as humans; arguing that animals should have the right to vote or hold office is clearly absurd.
The claim is that animals should be afforded the same level of respectful treatment as humans; in short, we should not have the right to kill animals, force them into our service, or otherwise treat them merely as means to further our own goals. One common form of this argument claims that moral status comes from the capacity to suffer or to enjoy life.
In respect to his capacity, many animals are no different than humans. They can feel pain and experience pleasure. Therefore, they should have the same moral status and deserve equal treatment. However, we look upon past examples of this behavior as morally condemnable.
Being of a particular race or gender does not give one any grounds for declaring outsiders to be of a lower moral status.
Many animal rights advocates argue similarly—that just because we are human is not sufficient grounds to declare animals less morally significant. Defenders of animal experimentation usually argue that animals cannot be considered morally equal to humans. The first step in making that argument is to show that humans are more important than animals. Below, animal research essay, I will outline one of the more common arguments used to reach animal research essay conclusion.
Some philosophers animal research essay the idea of a moral community. Roughly speaking, this is a group of individuals who all share certain traits in common, animal research essay. By sharing these traits, they belong to a particular moral community and thus take on certain responsibilities toward each other and assume specific rights. Although a moral community could theoretically include animals, it frequently does not. The human moral community, animal research essay, for instance, animal research essay, is often characterized by a capacity to manipulate abstract concepts and by personal autonomy.
Since most animals do not have the cognitive capabilities of humans and also do not seem to possess full autonomy animals do not rationally choose to pursue specific life goalsthey are not included in the moral community. Once animals have been excluded from the moral community, humans have only a limited obligation towards them; on this argument, animal research essay, we certainly would not need to grant animals all normal human rights.
If animals do not have the same rights as humans, it becomes permissible to use them for research purposes. Under this view, the ways in which experimentation might harm the animal are less morally significant than the potential human benefits from the research. One problem with this type of argument is that many humans animal research essay do not actually fulfill the criteria for belonging to the human moral community.
Both infants and the mentally handicapped frequently lack complex cognitive capacities, full autonomy, or even both of these traits, animal research essay. Are those individuals outside the human moral community?
Do they lack fundamental human rights and should we use them for experimentation? One philosophical position actually accepts those consequences and argues that those humans have the exact same rights or lack of rights as non-human animals. However, most people are uncomfortable with that scenario and some philosophers have put forth a variety of reasons to include all humans in the human moral community.
In fact, some of them the infants will surely meet animal research essay of the criteria in the future. With that in mind, animal research essay, the argument runs, it is best practice to animal research essay charitably and treat all humans as part of the moral community. In summary, animal research essay, defenders of animal experimentation argue that humans have higher moral status than animals and fundamental rights that animals lack.
Accordingly, potential animal rights violations are outweighed by the greater human benefits of animal research. There is a middle ground for those who feel uncomfortable with animal experimentation, but believe that in some circumstances the good arising out of experimentation does outweigh harm to the animal.
Proponents of the middle ground position usually advocate a few basic principals that they believe should always be followed in animal research. One principle calls for the preferential research use of less complex organisms whenever possible. For example bacteriafruit flies, and plants would be preferred over mammals. This reflects a belief in a hierarchy of moral standing with more complex animals at the top and microorganisms and plants at the bottom. This point of view suggests that more complicated organisms have richer, more fulfilling lives and that it is the richness of the life that actually correlates with moral worth.
Another principle is to reduce animal use as far as possible in any given study, animal research essay. Extensive literature searches, for instance, can ensure that experiments are not unnecessarily replicated and can ensure that animal models are only used to obtain information not already available in the scientific community.
Another way to reduce animal use is to ensure that studies are conducted according to the highest standards and that all information collected will be useable. Providing high quality, disease-free environments for the animals will help ensure that every animal counts. Additionally, well designed studies and appropriate statistical analysis of data can minimize the number of animals required for statistically significant results.
A third principle is to ensure the best possible treatment of the animals used in a study. This means reducing pain and suffering as much as possible. When appropriate, animal research essay, anesthesia should be used; additionally, studies should have the earliest possible endpoints after which animals who will subsequently experience disease or suffering can be euthanized. Also, anyone who handles the animals should be properly trained.
Our goal is to survey animal research essay rapidly growing scientific literature on HD and to present this information in a web source. We emphasize that we are neither medical professionals, nor are we affiliated with the researchers and laboratories mentioned on our pages. The information we present is intended for educational purposes only and should not be construed animal research essay offering diagnoses or recommendations. We operate as a not-for-profit public service organization, and our funding is entirely from private sources.
Blog Section Many medical research institutions make use of animal research essay animals as test subjects. The Case Against Animal Experimentation The Case For Animal Experimentation A Middle Ground. For further reading: Singer, Peter. LaFollette, Hugh ed, animal research essay. Blackwell Publishing, animal research essay. Peter Singer is one of the best publicly known advocates of animal rights and animal equality.
This philosophical essay briefly presents his views. Fox, Michael Allen. This essay defends animal experimentation. Frey, animal research essay, R. Cohen, Andrew and Wellman, Christopher eds. Regan, Tom. This essay supports animal rights. Research Animal Resources. University of Minnesota. Ethics and Alternatives for Animal Use in Research and Teaching.
A great resource describing some ways to minimize the use of animals in research and to practice the best standards when using animals.
Ethics and Animal Research - Part 1 of 5
, time: 14:23Animal Research Essay Resources
Animal testing is necessary for human survival as well as medical research. This essay will give background as well as the history of animal testing; explain some of the medical advancements achieved from animal testing. The background of animal testing is a fascinating aspect of what remains a contentious matter in the present day Aug 21, · Animal research is the process of using non-human animals to control variables that may affect biological systems or behaviors in experiments. It is the process of animal testing that is done under the guise of research to benefit humanity, but the applied research may have little or no concern to the animals involved May 14, · Research; Animal Testing Essay; Animal Testing Essay. Page 1 of 50 - About essays. Animal Testing:Animal Testing Is Unethical? Words | 3 Pages. Animal Testing Clorox, Johnson & Johnson, Covergirl, Colgate; all of these bands are well known and very popular. They also are four of the biggest name brands that still test their products on
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