The ethics of research involving animals - Nuffield Council on ...
The ethics of research involving animals - Nuffield Council on ...
The ethics of research involving animals - Nuffield Council on ...
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T h e e t h i c s o f r e s e a r c h i n v o l v i n g a n i m a l s<br />
Ethical issues raised by animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Introducti<strong>on</strong><br />
3.1 As we have said, the debate about <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>involving</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> ranges broadly over two<br />
distinct questi<strong>on</strong>s. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> first asks whether animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> yields useful knowledge that could<br />
not be gained from other sources. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> sec<strong>on</strong>d c<strong>on</strong>cerns whether it is morally acceptable for<br />
humans to use <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> in ways that can cause them harm. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>se two questi<strong>on</strong>s are clearly<br />
related: if it were the case that we learn nothing useful and distinctive from <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> that<br />
may harm <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>, it would be difficult to see how, <strong>on</strong> any reas<strong>on</strong>able view, it could be<br />
morally justified. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> questi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> scientific justificati<strong>on</strong> is therefore fundamental to the<br />
questi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> moral justificati<strong>on</strong> and we explore it in detail in Chapters 5–10.<br />
3.2 However, a positive answer to the scientific questi<strong>on</strong> does not settle the moral questi<strong>on</strong>, for<br />
it may be the case that an experiment that yields useful and relevant informati<strong>on</strong> is not<br />
ethically acceptable. We need therefore to c<strong>on</strong>sider from first principles the arguments in<br />
support <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>, and against, <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>involving</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>. For the purpose <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> our discussi<strong>on</strong>, we<br />
take the principal ethical questi<strong>on</strong>s to be the following:<br />
■ Provided there are substantial benefits associated with animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>, why should the<br />
use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> require special justificati<strong>on</strong>?<br />
■ Can any use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> by humans be justified? Which specific issues need to be<br />
c<strong>on</strong>sidered in the case <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>?<br />
■ What role does the unavailability <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> alternatives play in the justificati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>involving</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>?<br />
■ How does the justificati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> such <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> relate to the justificati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> other uses, such<br />
as food producti<strong>on</strong>?<br />
■ What is the appropriate role <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> regulati<strong>on</strong> for <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>involving</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>?<br />
3.3 For each <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> these questi<strong>on</strong>s, we c<strong>on</strong>sider comm<strong>on</strong>ly encountered arguments to bring clarity<br />
to the debate; to identify agreement where it exists; and to understand what lies behind<br />
remaining disagreement. We hope that this approach will be useful in enabling readers to<br />
make informed judgements about whether or not specific types <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>, as described in<br />
Chapters 5–9, can be justified. We would also like to encourage them to reflect up<strong>on</strong> the<br />
assumpti<strong>on</strong>s behind their own positi<strong>on</strong>s and those <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> others.<br />
CHAPTER 3 ETHICAL ISSUES RAISED BY ANIMAL RESEARCH<br />
Facts, values and the reflective equilibrium<br />
3.4 Historically, a number <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> apparently rigid and irrec<strong>on</strong>cilable implicit and explicit ethical<br />
positi<strong>on</strong>s <strong>on</strong> animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> have arisen. Often, holders <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> these views think that their<br />
ethical judgement is irrefutably right, while that <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> others is simply wr<strong>on</strong>g. C<strong>on</strong>sequently,<br />
they c<strong>on</strong>sider truths about animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> to be self-evident, and suspect those who do not<br />
share these views <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> some sort <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> ‘moral astigmatism’ or intenti<strong>on</strong>al malevolence.<br />
3.5 This state <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> affairs raises complex philosophical issues that are usually debated under the<br />
title <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> moral epistemology. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> term refers to the study <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>, am<strong>on</strong>g other things, whether<br />
and how we can come to know moral truths; what we mean when we make moral<br />
judgements; and under what c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s we can change the moral judgements <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> others. 1<br />
Although this Report is not suited to a detailed explorati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the many subtleties that<br />
1 See Campbell R (2003) Stanford Encyclopaedia <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Philosophy: Moral epistemology, available at:<br />
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/moral-epistemology. Accessed <strong>on</strong>: 11 Apr 2005.<br />
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