From: The ethics of animal research: a survey of the public and scientists in North America
Argument (A)/Counterargument (CA) | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Group | Is this a good enough reason to justify using animals in medical research? | Do any of the following responses make the argument much less convincing? | Of those convinced: proportion who judged the counterargument as persuasive | |||
Yes | No | Yes | No | |||
A1. Animal experimentation benefits humans greatly.a | ||||||
Public | 698/1270 (55 %) | 572/1270 (45 %) | ||||
Med School | 140/188 (74 %) | 48/188 (26 %) | ||||
CA: If great human benefits justify using animals in medical research, this should also justify using humans in the same medical research.a | ||||||
Public | 610/1260 (48 %) | 650/1260 (52 %) | 291/692 (42 %) | |||
Med School | 48/188 (26 %) | 140/188 (74 %) | 25/140 (18 %) | |||
CA: If animals can experience pain and suffering, it remains unclear why we morally may use them in experiments for human benefit.a | ||||||
Public | 792/1264 (63 %) | 472/1264 (37 %) | 348/691 (50 %) | |||
Med School | 95/188 (51 %) | 93/188 (49 %) | 60/70 (86 %) | |||
A2: Animal experimentation is necessary for human benefit.a | ||||||
Public | 621/1246 (50 %) | 625/1246 (50 %) | ||||
Med School | 126/181 (70 %) | 55/181 (30 %) | ||||
CA: More humans would benefit if the money spent on animal experiments was instead devoted to humanitarian aid (for example, in developing countries). | ||||||
Public | 584/1249 (47 %) | 665/1249 (53 %) | 226/613 (37 %) | |||
Med School | 67/180 (37 %) | 113/180 (63 %) | 42/126 (33 %) | |||
CA: There are now alternative experimental methods that do not use animals and that allow science to advance.a | ||||||
Public | 1049/1244 (84 %) | 195/1244 (16 %) | 482/612 (79 %) | |||
Med School | 130/181 (72 %) | 51/181 (28 %) | 87/126 (69 %) | |||
CA: It is unclear why the statement 'animal experimentation is necessary for human benefits' justifies animal experiments, but the statement 'human experimentation is necessary for human benefits' does not justify the same experiments on humans.a | ||||||
Public | 667/1238 (54 %) | 571/1238 (46 %) | 245/612 (40 %) | |||
Med School | 62/180 (34 %) | 118/180 (66 %) | 32/126 (25 %) | |||
A3: There are no alternatives to animal experimentation.a | ||||||
Public | 507/1240 (41 %) | 733/1240 (59 %) | ||||
Med School | 98/172 (57 %) | 74/172 (43 %) | ||||
CA: Researchers have not looked hard enough for alternatives to animal experimentation. For example, since using animals to test drugs has been required by law, researchers may have assumed that there is no other way.a | ||||||
Public | 801/1235 (65 %) | 434/1235 (35 %) | 280/498 (56 %) | |||
Med School | 81/171 (47 %) | 90/171 (53 %) | 38/96 (40 %) | |||
CA: If more effort was devoted to developing alternative research methods that do not use animals, animal experimentation may not be necessary anymore.a | ||||||
Public | 985/1239 (79 %) | 254/1239 (21 %) | 352/501 (70 %) | |||
Med School | 106/171 (62 %) | 65/171 (38 %) | 55/96 (57 %) | |||
A4: Humans naturally need to seek knowledge.a | ||||||
Public | 293/1240 (24 %) | 947/1240 (76 %) | ||||
Med School | 19/169 (11 %) | 150/169 (89 %) | ||||
CA: This can justify almost anything, including harmful experiments on humans against their will, in order to gain knowledge.a | ||||||
Public | 690/1227 (56 %) | 537/1227 (44 %) | 127/289 (44 %) | |||
Med School | 126/168 (75 %) | 42/168 (25 %) | 5/19 (26 %) | |||
CA: We have learned a great deal from earthquakes, fires and warfare; but, this does not justify recreating these things in order to gain more knowledge. | ||||||
Public | 859/1231 (70 %) | 371/1231 (30 %) | 167/287 (58 %) | |||
Med School | 121/168 (72 %) | 47/168 (28 %) | 10/19 (53 %) |