Steven M. Wise and the Nonhuman Rights Project think so. In Wise’s own words, chimpanzees are complex, autonomous beings that should have the basic right “to be left alone.” Seeking a court’s support for their position, the organization petitioned New York courts for writs of habeas corpus on behalf of several chimpanzees they view as … Continue reading Should chimps have rights?
Author: darioringach
Who should be part of the animal research debate?
Note: The following is an invited post by Prof. Eric Sandgren, Associate Professor of Experimental Pathology in the School of Veterinary Medicine, at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. The views expressed below are his own and do not necessarily represent that of his employer. In late October, Professor Dario Ringach of UCLA visited … Continue reading Who should be part of the animal research debate?
Don’t let PeTA bullies control the direction of medical research, education and training
What do you know? PeTA is at it again. This time their rage is directed at “RoboRoach” — a science project aimed at introducing students to sensory neurophysiology and brain-machine interfaces. Backyard Brains is selling an experiment for educational purposes that illustrates one of the fundamental scientific tools that allow us to restore function in patients … Continue reading Don’t let PeTA bullies control the direction of medical research, education and training
Closing your eyes may open your heart
A statement of fact can be falsified by presenting a single counterexample. For example, the claim that “Pigs don’t fly” can be proven false by just finding one that does. Similarly, the claim that “we owe the same moral consideration to all sentient living beings” can be falsified by considering scenarios where acting on such … Continue reading Closing your eyes may open your heart
(Some) animal rights philosophers say the darndest things!
Cheryl Abbate is a self-described feminist, philosopher and military officer. She is currently a Philosophy PhD student at Marquette University and obtained her MA in Philosophy with Bernard Rollin at Colorado State University. She was one of the animal rights activists who asked me questions during the discussion of my talk at UW Madison. Ms. Abbate … Continue reading (Some) animal rights philosophers say the darndest things!
What is your moral baseline?
I was recently invited to offer a moral justification for the scientific use of animals in medical research at the University of Wisconsin. After the talk we had over an hour of discussion where we saw everything from some thoughtful questions to nonsensical ramble. I presented an argument and I expected direct attacks on those arguments. … Continue reading What is your moral baseline?
PeTA: When everything else fails, bring out a celebrity
Opponents of the use of animals in medical research have failed to make a compelling scientific and moral argument against the work. Having repeated the same arguments for more than a century, and recognizing they are unlikely to succeed in the future, their strategies have shifted towards the simple goal of interfering and obstructing animal research in … Continue reading PeTA: When everything else fails, bring out a celebrity
A Pathetic Defense of Dr. Lawrence Hansen
At Speaking of Research we recently commented on the self-contradictory positions of Dr. Lawrence Hansen. We think it is problematic for Dr. Hansen to be a PeTA member who publicly and vociferously protests the use of animals in medical research and, simultaneously, to engage in, provide funding for and support animal research himself. We questioned how … Continue reading A Pathetic Defense of Dr. Lawrence Hansen
Speaking of Research 