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Ethical Issues in Animal Biotechnology Paul B. Thompson

Ethical Issues in Animal Biotechnology Paul B. Thompson W.K. Kellogg Professor of Agricultural, Food and Community Ethics Michigan State University. Advisory Committee on 21 st Century Agriculture November 28, 2007. Two Problems. The rBST Problem (briefly) The Blind Chicken Problem

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Ethical Issues in Animal Biotechnology Paul B. Thompson

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  1. Ethical Issues in Animal Biotechnology Paul B. Thompson W.K. Kellogg Professor of Agricultural, Food and Community Ethics Michigan State University Advisory Committee on 21st Century Agriculture November 28, 2007

  2. Two Problems • The rBST Problem (briefly) • The Blind Chicken Problem • And a concluding note on consumer choice

  3. Two Problems • The rBST Problem Health Issues Animal Welfare rBST More Milk

  4. Two Problems • The rBST Problem ? Lower Welfare Animal Welfare rBST More Milk rBST was deemed “acceptable” on animal health grounds. Basic problem: a genetic technology linked to a welfare problem that can also be caused by other accepted practices. Basic Cow Genetics Rotational Grazing

  5. My 15 Minutes of Fame There's a strain of chickens that are blind, and this was not produced through biotechnology. It was actually an accident that got developed into a particular strain of chickens. Now blind chickens, it turns out, don't mind being crowded together so much as normal chickens do. And so one suggestion is that, `Well, we ought to shift over to all blind chickens as a solution to our animal welfare problems that are associated with crowding in the poultry industry.' Is this permissible on animal welfare grounds? Here, we have what I think is a real philosophical conundrum. If you think that it's the welfare of the individual animal that really matters here, how the animals are doing, then it would be more humane to have these blind chickens. On the other hand, almost everybody that you ask thinks this is an absolutely horrendous thing to do. Paul Thompson quoted by David Kastenbaum, Morning Edition, December 4, 2001. Transcript available online at www.npr.org

  6. The Blind Chicken Problem • Strategies for relieving stress or adverse impact on livestock that use genetics to • reduce sensory capacity; • eliminate or moderate behavioral drives; • alter species-typical behavior.

  7. The Ethical Rationale for Blind Chicken Strategies: Concept of Animal Welfare Movement, Ability to perform species typical behavior Mortality, Morbidity, Physiological Stress Pain, Discomfort, Psychological Stress

  8. Mortality, Morbidity, Physiological Stress Pain, Discomfort, Psychological Stress Animal Minds Animal Bodies Blind Chicken Strategies • reduce sensory capacity; • eliminate behavioral drives; • alter species-typical behavior.

  9. Possible Ethical Problems with Blind Chickens: Welfare Specification An individual animal that has no drive to perform a species typical behavior would not be frustrated by living in an environment where the behavior could not be performed. Welfare Thesis Need for movement and expressing genetic drives are important to the extent that an individual actually experiences these needs. Animal Natures If they do not help an animal cope with its environment, simply having a need does not contribute to welfare • reduce sensory capacity; • eliminate behavioral drives; • alter species-typical behavior.

  10. Possible Ethical Problems with Blind Chickens: Welfare Specification Alternative View Possession of species- typical genetic drives and and behavioral abilities is a fundamental component of animal natures. Animal Natures Animals that lack such drives and abilities are “worse off” than con- specifics that have them. • reduce sensory capacity; • eliminate behavioral drives; • alter species-typical behavior.

  11. Implication: The conundrum. What theory says is right is something no one accepts as right. Implication: One seems willing to endorse a situation where animals suffer over one where they do not (or suffer less). Welfare Thesis Need for movement and expressing genetic drives are important to the extent that an individual actually experiences these needs. Alternative View Possession of species- typical genetic drives and and behavioral abilities is a fundamental component of animal natures.

  12. The ethical issue here does not consist in harm to the animal, but reflects a putative deficiency in the moral character of the agent. It may appear that animal scientists and the livestock industry are willing to do anything to protect profits. Animal Natures are seen by them simply as a means to this end. You advocate blinding chickens!?! A 3rd Point of View: The “Virtues” Objection

  13. Does the presence of these possible ethical questions provide a reason why consumers should be able to “opt out” of products from cloned or genetically engineered livestock? Consumer Choice

  14. Thank-you for listening.thomp649@msu.eduFood Biotechnology in Ethical Perspective 2nd Editionhttp://www.springer.com

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