Ethical Considerations in Animal Experimentation

This lecture explores the ethical dilemmas surrounding animal experimentation, discussing the paradoxes of justifying painful means to exterminate animals while granting them rights in laboratory settings. It delves into the controversy of animal research, particularly in Switzerland, where academic institutions defend animal experimentation. The lecture covers the statistical trends of animal experiments in Switzerland, emphasizing the principles of the 3Rs (Reduce, Refine, Replace) and the ethical frameworks proposed by philosophers like Peter Singer and Tom Regan. It also examines the implications of different ethical perspectives on animal research, including the moral status of animals and the application of human research ethics to animal studies.