Madam, - Ruarc Gahan (October 15th) seems to deliberately ignore the fact that predatory and exploitative behaviour between animal species is part of the fabric of life and survival in the natural world.
Does he intend to take up the cause of equality for the persecuted antelope and wildebeest against the horrid lions on the plains of Africa? Is the lions' carnivorism not also "a fine example of exploitation of the powerless by the powerful, of the weak by the strong"? No more than the antelope look forward to being devoured, animals would never give their consent to being victims of suffering for medical research. The ethical questions posed by animal vivisection go far beyond a simplistic anthropomorphic notion of consent. It is unhelpful to discussion of these issues to misrepresent the relationship between animal species in the interest of emotive dogma.
In the natural world, organisms tend not to live in peaceful and painless co-existence. Species prey upon those below them in the evolutionary hierarchy in order to survive and multiply. Human beings are no different in this basic pattern of behaviour. What is different is our capacity to learn and develop increasingly advanced solutions to the problems of existence and this is why we have come to dominate.
Being at the top confers extraordinary privilege on us as human beings. Ipso facto, we have a special responsibility towards the other species that inhabit this planet. Sadly, we frequently act in abnegation of this duty and in a wantonly destructive and barbaric manner.
Where animal research is deemed to be the only means of attaining goals, which contribute to significantly reducing suffering in human beings, it cannot be ruled out. The decision to proceed should always be made with the greatest reservation, methods should be regularly reviewed and experiments should be subject to strict independent supervision and assessment. In these conditions alone can the morality of animal testing be evaluated.
Given the choice of saving a lion or one of their one, I think I know which the beleaguered antelope would opt for. - Yours etc,
PETER A O'SULLIVAN,
Tipper Road,
Naas,
Co Kildare.