An Argument Against Animal Testing

There have been many attempts to validate the case against animal rights. It has been perceived that humans are separate beings from animals not only on a physical level, but also through rational autonomy and morality. There is a forgotten aspect in this argument though. Within society there are many people who do not have these qualities, including the mentally disabled and babies (Singer). This creates the assumption that to consider animals deficient of rights is to insinuate that the mentally disabled and babies are void of rights as well. Through this it can be assumed that the argument goes even further to say that babies and the mentally disabled are not human.

The basis of the argument is that because animals do not have rational autonomy and the ability to make moral decisions they do not have rights. Through the use of this position the argument further explains that it is in the human race’s best interest to test on animals. This utilitarian view, which is sacrificing one to save the many in order to advance, is thought to be a better alternative to sacrificing no one. As a result of this belief it is assumed in this argument that it is human kind’s obligation to sacrifice animals to animal testing for the benefit of humans. This argument creates the assumption that animals are not to be granted equal consideration to humans.

If this argument is to be carried out within society it must be considered equally implemented between organisms with the ability to have rational autonomy and morality, and the organisms unable to have rational autonomy and morality. It is said in the argument that all humans have the ability to be independent and moral, so it must be understood that babies and the mentally disabled are not hu...

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...d are not considered void of moral rights then it is impossible to state that animals are. In conclusion it can be assumed that animals deserve equal consideration just like humans; because the issue of what moral rights certain humans deserve can still be disputed. Although animals do not have the cognitive ability to be rationally autonomous or moral they are still a living organism and deserve rights just as much as babies or the mentally disabled.

Works Cited

Cohen, Carl. "The Case Against Animal Rights." The Moral Life: An Introductory Reader In Ethics And Literature. By Louis P. Pojman and Lewis Vaughn. Fourth ed. New York: Oxford UP, 2011. Print.

Singer, Peter. "Animal Liberation: All Animals Are Equal"" The Moral Life: An Introductory Reader In Ethics And Literature. By Louis P. Pojman and Lewis Vaughn. Fourth ed. New York: Oxford UP, 2011. Print.