bioethics, distinguishing terms

[mhollowa at epo.som.sunysb.edu]

In article <1994Feb1.161456.10192 at iitmax.iit.edu> garfinkl at iitmax.iit.edu (Mark D. Garfinkel) writes:
>mhollowa at epo.som.sunysb.edu (Michael Holloway) writes:
>
>>In article <brownbrd.759900648 at pv0a17.vincent.iastate.edu>
>>brownbrd at iastate.edu (Grizzly Adams) writes:
>>>The training group I am part of as a graduate student recently met and
>>>discussed a small portion of bioethics - specifically that of "animal rights".
>>
>>That's disappointing, unless the discussion centered around educating the
>>participants about the danger presented by "animal rights" terrorists.
> [...]
>>The only thing that a researcher needs to be taught about it is how to  best
>>protect yourself from terrorists.
>
>        *For the most part I agree. Animal rights activism is, I think,
>just one facet of a Luddite anti-human point-of-view that is extremely
>shortsighted & dangerous, for a whole bunch of reasons. However, isn't
>it a valid point that healthy animals will be better laboratory research
>subjects, 

Ah, another example of a poor soul suckered into equating "animal rights" 
with animal welfare (see other thread).  For whatever reason, you fail to 
distinguish between a bizarre pop culture "philosophy" generated in the 
`70's and something as obvious and necessary as humane treatment and 
proper care of lab animals.  Humane treatment didn't spring into 
existance after the creation of "animal rights" you know.  The term 
"animal rights" refers to something quite different from your stated 
concerns and is something that has caused zealots to start attacking 
researchers.  

Your confusion is understandable.  Its exactly the reaction that their 
well funded organizations strive for.  Researchers have got to start 
educating themselves about this so that the public at large (the poor 
souls contributing to PETA yet hoping that biomedical research will find 
a cure for something-or-other) can start to properly evaluate the 
propaganda.  Referring to humane treatment as "animal rights" is a very 
large mistake.