Experimenting with Humans and Animals: From Aristotle to CRISPR

The book Experimenting with Humans and Animals explores the history of scientific experimentation on living creatures, examining the ethical and philosophical justifications for these practices and how they have changed over time. It discusses key historical episodes, such as the discovery of blood circulation, the development of vaccines, and recent research in genetics, ecology, and animal behavior. It also examines the rise of the antivivisection movement, the modern animal rights movement, and current debates over gene therapy and genetically engineered animals. The book emphasizes a broader understanding of experimentation and adds material on gene therapy, self-experimentation, and prisoners and slaves as experimental subjects. It offers readers a context within which to understand the responsibility we all bear for the suffering inflicted on other living beings in the name of scientific knowledge.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 216 pages
Publication date: 27 September 2022
Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press

The examination of the ideas and attitudes that drive scientists to conduct experiments on living organisms, the justifications they provide for these actions, and how these perspectives have evolved over time is a crucial topic of study. It is widely believed that experimentation on animals, particularly humans, is a relatively recent phenomenon. However, the roots of these practices can be traced back to the earliest expressions of Western thought.

In her book "Experimenting with Humans and Animals," Anita Guerrini delves into the history of these practices and explores the philosophical and ethical arguments that have justified them. Guerrini examines key historical episodes in the use of living beings in science and medicine, such as the discovery of blood circulation, the development of smallpox and polio vaccines, and recent research in genetics, ecology, and animal behavior. She also explores the rise of the antivivisection movement in Victorian England, the modern animal rights movement, and ongoing debates over gene therapy and genetically engineered animals.

Through her comprehensive analysis, Guerrini sheds light on how perceptions and understandings of human and animal pain have evolved. She also examines how ideas of class, race, and gender have shaped the human research subject and how the ethical values of science often align with the society in which scientists live and work. The book emphasizes a broader understanding of experimentation and includes material on gene therapy, self-experimentation, and prisoners and slaves as experimental subjects.

Thoroughly revised and updated, with new material in every chapter, "Experimenting with Humans and Animals" provides readers with a comprehensive context within which to understand the complexities of experimentation and its ethical implications. The book reflects on the current regulatory scene, new developments in science, and emerging genomics, ensuring that it remains relevant to contemporary debates and discussions.

In conclusion, "Experimenting with Humans and Animals" is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the history, philosophy, and ethics of experimentation. By examining the ideas and attitudes that drive scientific inquiry, Guerrini offers a deeper understanding of the complex relationship between science, society, and the human and animal subjects involved.

Weight: 318g
Dimension: 229 x 152 x 14 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781421444055
Edition number: second edition