ATLA::Alternatives to Laboratory Animals

Volume 23, Number 5

Moral issues in relation to chimpanzee field studies and experiments.

ATLA 23, 621-625, September/October 1995

Vernon Reynolds

Institute of Biological Anthropology, Oxford University, 58 Banbury Road, Oxford OX2 6QS, UK

SUMMARY

The ancient Greek roots of two traditions in science are traced. The first, derived from Pythagoras emphasises continuity of life-forms and respect for animals. The second, derived from Aristotle, divides humans from animals because humans possess reason whereas animals lack it. This gives humans the right to use animals for their own purposes. Primate field workers are closer to the former tradition than the latter, but rarely involve themselves in detailed consideration of animal experiments. With the post-Darwinian awareness of the continuity of all life-forms, it is now known that chimpanzees, in particular, are very close to humans in most respects, and it is argued that their use in invasive experiments is no longer morally defensible.

Keywords: chimpanzee, morality, experiments, field studies