John R. Hoffman is a Professor of Biology, public speaker and a scientist examining the recovery of the nervous system after injury. Since 2006 he has written several unpublished manuscripts and he is currently working on the first Nathaniel Smythe novel and short story collection. He spends his spare time with his family and running.

15 History of Animal Research

Objectives

By the end of this lecture, the student will be able to:

  1. Describe the guiding principles of responsible animal research (The 3 R’s).
  2. Compare and contrast the “animal welfare” and “animal rights” arguments.

Part 1. History of Animal Research

This mini-lecture reviews a brief history of the use of animals in research. The handout for this presentation can be downloaded and printed.

Reading:

Chapter 1. Introduction. Nuffield Council on Bioethics, (2005). The Ethics of Research Involving Animals. pp. 1 – 12.

Chapter 2. The context of animal research: past and present. Nuffield Council on Bioethics, (2005). The Ethics of Research Involving Animals. pp. 13 – 30.

Part 2. Modern Animal Rights Movement

This mini-lecture examines the development of the animal rights movement from the mid-1970s and the differences between animal rights and animal welfare. The handout for this presentation can be downloaded and printed.

Readings:

Chapter 3. Ethical Issues raised by animal research. Nuffield Council on Bioethics, (2005). The Ethics of Research Involving Animals. pp. 31 – 58.

Chapter 14. Discussion of ethical issues. Nuffield Council on Bioethics, (2005). The Ethics of Research Involving Animals. pp. 13 – 30.

Assignment: Animal Welfare and Animal Rights
In your small discussion group, discuss the philosophical perspectives involved in comparing and contrasting the animal welfare and animal rights positions.

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