Capable of Feeling Pain?
In doing some research for the entry below, I came across this little nugget: The Animals Act 1986 (UK) regulates scientific procedures which may cause pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm to "protected animals", defined in the Act as all living vertebrate animals, except man, and one invertebrate species, the common octopus."
Apparently, the octopus was added to the list when ongoing debate concluded that its well developed nervous system "might" make it capable of feeling pain. I know it wouldn't quite be good form, grammatically speaking old chap, but I do feel an almost uncontrollable urge to end that last statement with at least five exclamation marks. Are we talking human arrogance here, or what? I'm not venturing into the murky waters of debate over whether or not to use lab animals in experiments. I'm only talking about the unbelievable conceit in which the world of medicine and science indulges when it presumes to question which life forms will or will not experience pain when subjected to painful procedures. Who hasn't seen a cat or dog cry out if their tail has been stepped on? If you've ever seen an animal that was hit by a cat but not killed, you have seen unmistakable evidence of the experience of pain.
Any and all animals are capable of feeling pain. We humans all know it, too. That's why there is positive response to product lines that declare "No Animal Testing". Couldn't we get over the biblical bullshit about god supposedly giving man dominion over the animals of the world? After all, we're animals, too. Pray that a mutant strain of lab rats never sets out to even the score.
At the moment, lab animals are victims of our superior ability to set traps and raise other creatures in captivity. Let's not cavil about their experience of pain as a justification of our use of them.
Apparently, the octopus was added to the list when ongoing debate concluded that its well developed nervous system "might" make it capable of feeling pain. I know it wouldn't quite be good form, grammatically speaking old chap, but I do feel an almost uncontrollable urge to end that last statement with at least five exclamation marks. Are we talking human arrogance here, or what? I'm not venturing into the murky waters of debate over whether or not to use lab animals in experiments. I'm only talking about the unbelievable conceit in which the world of medicine and science indulges when it presumes to question which life forms will or will not experience pain when subjected to painful procedures. Who hasn't seen a cat or dog cry out if their tail has been stepped on? If you've ever seen an animal that was hit by a cat but not killed, you have seen unmistakable evidence of the experience of pain.
Any and all animals are capable of feeling pain. We humans all know it, too. That's why there is positive response to product lines that declare "No Animal Testing". Couldn't we get over the biblical bullshit about god supposedly giving man dominion over the animals of the world? After all, we're animals, too. Pray that a mutant strain of lab rats never sets out to even the score.
At the moment, lab animals are victims of our superior ability to set traps and raise other creatures in captivity. Let's not cavil about their experience of pain as a justification of our use of them.
1 Comments:
I've actually seen the horror movie where the mutant _________ (insert animal) goes on a rampage to exact revenge on humans. We eventually win the fight and come out educated ... sometimes. I thought it was accepted that animals have well developed nervous systems. We share a common evolutionary past ... and we've seen our complex brain structures in other animals. It's even accepted that plants also "feel" -- although not the same way we do.
People can be so stupid. Or maybe we just look for ways to justify our cruelity.
(And on that debate about the use of lab animals -- I'm for it. There are some people who would qualify as well, but that there is also another topic.)
Post a Comment
<< Home