Scientists have successfully created the world’s first schizophrenic mice in an attempt to gain a better understanding of the illness. It is believed this is the very first time an animal has been genetically engineered to have a mental illness.
Animal rights campaigners have condemned the research, calling it morally repugnant. What do you think?
Link - via A Welsh View
The mice were created by modifying their DNA to mimic a mutant gene first found in a Scottish family with a high incidence of schizophrenia, which affects about one in every 100 people. The mice’s brains were found to have features similar to those of humans with schizophrenia, such as depression and hyperactivity.
Animal rights campaigners have condemned the research, calling it morally repugnant. What do you think?
Link - via A Welsh View
Do either of those options sit better with you?
She went from being just slightly dim and moody, but otherwise normal, to being completely incapacitated, incontinent, and unintelligible. They later tried to claim that she was mentally retarded (her condition proved useful for her sister's Special Olympics organization). Those who knew her prior to the operation (or read her writings) know the real truth.
Some of us are wise enough to see the our christian materialist culture for what it is, a social construct!
Schizophrenia (and mental illness) is, a means of reality enforcement and social control applicable to westernised culture.
I am an indigenous Australian, my culture is over 60,000 years old. The scientists should learn about our culture and our dream time.
I feel sad for the tortured animals. :-)
I'd say that as soon as the mouse complained, you should stop experimenting on it. Common courtesy.
Ben : What would constitute complaining? speaking in proper English and asking kindly to be let go? would this apply to all mice or just the one?
I think seeing animals in pain due to testing is a good sign that they would ask to be let go if they could.
That being said, if it helps more than it hurts (hurrah utilitarianism)
No lab test exists to identify a single mental illness in humans. No lesion has ever been found for any mental illness.
Check out the Rosenhan experiment on wiki to see just how accurate schizo diagnosis is. LOL This mouse experiment is just junk science!
Andrew,
I think you should read a few anthropology studies and broaden your horizon.
Most of all, while people and animals suffer alike, physiologically, different species vary so vastly that data can’t be accurately extrapolated from one species to another. Even chimpanzees, our closest living relatives—with whom we share 99 percent of our DNA—don’t sicken when infected with many diseases that are fatal to us.
On the question of hurting versus helping I'm speaking in a utilitarian sense. Applying this to the whole group of living beings on a net "pleasure/pain" scale. If we can test a few mice, which have limited levels of self-awareness (if any) in order to help all human schizophrenics for the rest of human history live better lives I would say it is probably worth it.
And on anthropology: Actually, I have done a lot of reading on different cultures. I know and understand that hearing voices is a good thing in a lot of cultures, but as I said, "it is neither normal nor desirable in many cultures". This would include many modern western cultures, and many more I'm sure you can think of. notice I said many, not all or most.
That being said, I am not a fan of cultural relativism. it is too easy of an answer to a much more complex question, and also allows for some startling holes in "common sense" morality. Unfortunately, it seems that for people who understand and study other cultures (like myself) but don't blindly accept their beliefs as true (via cultural relativism) are often told that they need to "broaden your horizon".
These mice have been possessed by Thetans.