Moral Standing of Animals in Scientific Experiments

Abstract

When moral justification of the use of animals in the area of scientific experimentation is well thought-out, we rely on the principles of moral standing suggested by various philosophers. Philosophers try to find out whether animals count or whether animals can be brought under moral consideration. If they cannot be brought under the moral purview, then probably one cannot find any reason that it is morally wrong to use animals for human good, such as using them in painful scientific experiments. This paper brings out some of the principles suggested by philosophers in order for an agent to be considered morally. Further this paper suggests that most of these views do not provide a basis to include animals under the moral purview. Thereby, I put forward a perspective called the ‘common sense view’ to bring animals under the moral consideration which further implies that the use of animals in the area of scientific experimentation is morally unjustified.