Discuss how far experimental methods on animals can be considered ethical.

Some experiments that are supposed to benefit animals are analysed to not be at all. An example is Conover’s scarecrow that was replaced by a model crow in an owl’s talons. It seems that the crows were saved from being shot or another form of death, however, the crows could die from starvation instead or flock to the next field where they are in turn shot as well. Experiments that are conducted in labs also lack ecological validity, especially with those animals that are bred there. Therefore, the research done on animal behaviour may not be useful at all unless the animals were in their natural habitat.    

Animals’ maybe used in investigations for behavioural reasons in humans, and Darwin’s theory on evolution suggests that this is possible. It is believed that as humans evolved from animals, they would have both the characteristics of the animals and more. So by using animals, the results can be applied to humans e.g. Harlow’s study on maternal deprivation in monkeys helped people understand the consequences of deprivation. Pavlov’s classical conditioning experiment with dogs was used to explain how people develop behavioural problems. The ability to benefit humans by using animals maybe seen as a stronger factor and a more important one compared to an animals welfare. However, it is argued that animals do not have the same qualities as a person. If the experiments conducted on animals would not have any significance, it means that the suffering an animal goes through is not justifiable, which the Ethical guidelines believe necessary. This rules the use of animals for people to be unethical.

If humans have some aspects of their biological make-up that is similar to animals, drugs can be tested on animals first before administrating it to humans. However, the drug Morphine that calms humans and rats but causes manic behaviour in cats and mice has opposed this. Koestler 1970 added that this was the sin of Ratomorphism to extrapolate from rats to humans.

It can also be said that as 700 thousand animals are slaughtered each year for food, three thousand for animal experiments would not make a difference. However, these could be said to be different in nature as the animals in experiments may suffer. Even so, some animals do not seem to feel pain such as insects, but these could be disputed to be Extrapolation where humans are unique.  

The quality of the experiment is also important. The Bateson model 1986 consists of three factors for measuring the characteristics of an experiment prior to procedure: Certainty of medical benefit, quality of research and animal suffering. The model sums up the most important issues that an animal research project must have and at what degree before it is acceptable for practice.

The problem with the model is that the level of quality etc is not stated which would be up to the investigator to judge whether or not the method would cause a lot or a little suffering. This is unreliable of course as the experimenter maybe in favour of their study so much that they are convinced that they qualify for all the aspects of the model.