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Animal experimentation: pro and con arguments using the theory of evolution
1Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences (Biomedical Ethics), Uppsala University, Uppsala Science Park, Sweden. anders.nordgren@bioethics.uu.se
Medicine, Health Care, and Philosophy
|April 17, 2002
Summary
Evolutionary theory informs ethical debates on animal experimentation. Arguments for and against animal use, considering speciesism and moral individualism, are analyzed, with evolutionary psychology favoring human interests but not justifying all animal experiments.
Area of Science:
- Ethics
- Evolutionary Biology
- Animal Welfare
Background:
- The theory of evolution is frequently invoked in discussions concerning the ethics of animal experimentation.
- Two distinct arguments, one opposing and one supporting animal experimentation, are examined.
- Both arguments attempt to link evolutionary theory to normative ethics while avoiding the naturalistic fallacy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze arguments regarding animal experimentation that utilize the theory of evolution.
- To evaluate the ethical implications of evolutionary perspectives on human-animal relationships in research.
- To determine the validity and limitations of evolutionary arguments in justifying or opposing animal experimentation.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of two opposing arguments on animal experimentation based on evolutionary theory.
- Examination of the concepts of moral individualism and speciesism in relation to evolutionary psychology.
- Philosophical assessment of underlying ethical principles: 'is' vs. 'ought', impartiality vs. special obligations, and reason vs. intuition.
Main Results:
- The argument against animal experimentation posits that evolution undermines human exceptionalism, supporting moral individualism where animals warrant similar consideration to humans.
- The argument in favor, drawing from evolutionary psychology, suggests inherent human speciesism, justifying prioritization of human interests.
- The author finds the pro-experimentation evolutionary argument more convincing but not conclusive, emphasizing case-by-case ethical evaluation.
Conclusions:
- Evolutionary theory presents complex considerations for animal experimentation ethics.
- While evolutionary arguments can support prioritizing human interests, they do not universally justify all animal experiments.
- Ethical decisions regarding animal experimentation require nuanced, case-by-case assessments, balancing competing moral considerations.
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