Violence and life-harming action can be reviewed from the perspectives of several philosophical theories. Since the chosen moral issue concerns animal experimentation, it is closely related to the theory of Utilitarianism. The main idea of this philosophy induces preference of practical changes over morally wrong obstacles (Lazari-Radek & Singer, 2017). Therefore, the way these changes are made is not as critical as their positive consequences. In the case of animal experimentation, Utilitarianism emphasizes the beneficial result of the procedures in comparison to the unethical treatment of animals in the process. With psychological research involving numerous forms of animal testing, it is essential to discuss that as an example.
As a general rule, manipulations are done to animals in psychological experiments according to strict regulations. Researchers must first present reasons for the exact procedure, the number of animals required, and state whether the harmful methods are even necessary (Appelbaum et al., 2018). Only through approval from a committee will the researcher be able to officially conduct the experiment. In this way, ethical issues are resolved through a set of standardized norms.
Furthermore, in a specific (hypothetical) example regarding animal experimentation, the same principles would have to be considered. If several rats were to be used to study the effects of a new COVID-19 vaccine, hypothesized to be most effective for severe cases, the same factors would be considered. Firstly, the possible harm would have to be justified by the necessity of testing the vaccine; for example, its risks for testing on people are too high. Linking back to the theory of Utilitarianism, the practical benefit of assessing the vaccine’s effects would have to be more essential than the possible harm done to the animals. If the first trial yields insignificant results, any harmful action will not be permissible from both the Utilitarianism perspective and the law. Therefore, the extent of the harmful action will fully depend on its usefulness to society.
References
Appelbaum, M., Cooper, H., Kline, R. B., Mayo-Wilson, E., Nezu, A. M., & Rao, S. M. (2018). Journal article reporting standards for quantitative research in psychology: The APA publications and communications board task force report. American Psychologist, 73(1), 3 25. Web.
Lazari-Radek, K. & Singer, P. (2017). Utilitarianism: A very short introduction. Oxford University Press.