Question Everything...Including Scientists

I occasionally read Scienceblog when there is mention of animal research issues. It's a site that, according to its own description, is half reader blogs and half press releases from research institutions.

Here's the first of an apparent series by a blogger on why we need to do animal testing....part 1 - drug discovery!!! Hooray!

I'm not going into why I do not support animal research. If you oppose it, then I'm preaching to the choir. If you support it, then chances are nothing I can say will change your mind. If you're not sure or simply choose to ignore the issue, as most people do, then I can only hope you learn about it and face the ugly facts, no matter what your final position is. These vile procedures are being done in OUR name.

Anyway, here's one particularly annoying paragraph from the post...

Testing drugs on animal is unpleasant. No one likes doing it. Do not be fooled into thinking scientists are using animals unnecessarily for perverse reasons. There is only one alternative to testing drugs on animals: testing them on humans. It is your decision which you value more. That said however, we can all agree that where possible we should reduce usage of animals for experimentation, and that research into ways of doing this should be well funded.

I urge you to read as much as you can on this subject, think for yourselves, and arrive at a rational, evidence-based conclusion. Question everything.

I appreciate the statement about reducing the usage of animals, but I have to take issue with the writer's position.

Yes, I do question everything. That's why I truly wish someone would explain to me to me why humans are so unique and of such higher value than anything else. Isn't all life unique in its own way? If we are simply the most advanced step in evolution, doesn't that imply there are other steps ahead of us? Are there even more unique versions of humanity on their way? Once we are no longer so advanced, should we then be valued less and then subjected to experiments for this new and "unique" species of the future?

How about this? Why is a serial killer allowed to live out his days in peace while a chimpanzee with 98.6 percent of our DNA is tortured and isolated in a lab? Why are rapists and pedophiles given dignity and respect when animals, who are innocent, denied the same?

It's all effed up to me. But at least I'm following bluegenes' advice and questioning everything.