What are your thoughts on animal experimentation?

[WandySaku2]

Saying we are superior because we are superior is not an argument and as far as I know we are the only species who systematically enslaves and experiments on other species so unless you can provide us with some hard evidence to the contrary then I'm not the one looking ridiculous here.

He has a point, though. All species are (knowingly or not) about the survival of their own species. If a lion is presented with another lion and you, I'm pretty sure you would be screwed. It's a hypothetical thing to say but if bears, tigers, or whatever had a choice to do something to help their species while harming another, I'm guessing they would do it.

Some species of ants do enslave other ants. Lions kill hyenas essentially because they are a nuisance/competition to their well being, orcas hunt baleen whales only to eat their tongues, etc. So, yea, it seems natural to feel that the species you are a part of is superior in some form.

So, yea, I'm not down for cosmetic testing, but (though I wouldn't want to be the one doing it) I'm for testing on a chimp if it means an end to some chronic disease, since I firmly believe if the roles were reversed they would do the same.

 

[Archie Goodwin]

"If hooking a monkey's brain up to a car battery is going to save somebody from dying of AIDS in ten years, I have two things to say: the red is positive and the black is negative."
~~ Nick diPaolo

 

[Cajun]

It's a sad reality. Couldn't possibly test so many drugs on humans. Most fail before going to market. Don't believe in cosmetic testing but for diseases... it must be done.

 

[Matt M]

You seem to be consistent at least, in that you admit to it being justified should we be the lab rats. But I get the feeling you're avoiding imagining yourself actually having such a thing happen to you and yours. Distress, agony, etc. These things are not nothing, they are felt and have an effect. I assume your idea of it being justifiable would not factor in much when it came time for you to respond to it taking place.

But animals don't have the same emotional capability as humans do and their brains aren't developed like ours, so their thought process when being tested on is something we have no idea about, we can only imagine what ours would be.

The effect the testing would have on animals and humans is two completely different things.
Plus a lot of the lab animals are bred just to be tested on, so it's all they know anyway.

It's like when a severely handicapped child comes into the world and people question why the parents decided to keep it because of the quality of life it would lead.
But that's the only life it knows, it doesn't know any different and doesn't miss what it's never had to begin with.

Anyway, the whole debate revolves around how much you value the life of an animal compared to that of a human.
If you're one way or another you're just never ever going to agree with anyone who thinks the other way!

 

[BearGrounds]

But animals don't have the same emotional capability as humans do and their brains aren't developed like ours, so their thought process when being tested on is something we have no idea about, we can only imagine what ours would be.

The effect the testing would have on animals and humans is two completely different things.
Plus a lot of the lab animals are bred just to be tested on, so it's all they know anyway.

It's like when a severely handicapped child comes into the world and people question why the parents decided to keep it because of the quality of life it would lead.
But that's the only life it knows, it doesn't know any different and doesn't miss what it's never had to begin with.

Anyway, the whole debate revolves around how much you value the life of an animal compared to that of a human.
If you're one way or another you're just never ever going to agree with anyone who thinks the other way!

Despite not being able to think like an animal, we can be pretty certain they feel pain through simple observations. Hold a live rat down and slowly carve it up (not saying this is what is done). I'm sure its physical reactions will be similar enough to what your own might be; at least enough to indicate to you that it's feeling some pain.

The argument, for me, is not about comparing humans to animals in terms of value. I'm at odds with the practice of creating an environment of pain for other lifeforms that can very clearly feel it.