Question Refinement.docx



Research Topic RefinementWhat is the public perception of animal experimentation and how does it compare to the reality?This seems to be a loaded question, implying that the public perception and ‘reality’ are two different things. In addition, animal experimentation is a very broad term encompassing many species (from mice to chimpanzees) in many different fields of research (including psychological experiments and toxicity tests).What is the current state of rodent use in toxicity tests and how accurate is the public perception?This question doesn’t leave much room for whether or not people agree with it. Its aim is simply to investigate how much people know about animal experimentation. This turns it more into a question of bare statistics, rather than of ethics. I would like this research project to investigate whether the general public is for or against animal experimentation and whether those sentiments are well founded.What is the public attitude toward rodent use in toxicity tests and is it reasonable?Upon further reflection, I have decided that specifying ‘rodent use in toxicity tests’ narrows the topic unnecessarily. Members of the public wouldn’t tend to have looked into the different types of animal testing and formed an opinion about every single practice. Rather, it would be a more effective approach to take a step back. I can still narrow the field down to rodents, but encompass all types of testing. In addition, I can use ‘justifiable’ instead of ‘reasonable’, as it implies a comparison, which is what I am aiming for.To what extent is there opposition to animal experimentation involving rodents and is this opposition ethically justifiable?Much of the research I have done so far has been focussed on the animal rights groups, rather than the general public. I originally intended to create and distribute a survey, but I feel that the results would be of little value, as those filling it out would not be my fellow students – hardly a random sample to represent the entire population. Instead, I should refine my topic to put a greater emphasis on the animal rights groups. I would like to find out what specific criticisms they make about animal experimentation and whether or not these are valid criticisms.I have come to realise that the research I have done applies to all animals, not just rodents. This is not a dilemma which is specific to rodents, so there is no loss in generalising to include animal experimentation as a whole.Is the view of animal experimentation presented by animal rights groups an ethically justifiable one?Ethics is only one realm in which arguments can be made for the justification of animal experimentation. By having this question, I would have to completely disregard two other major aspects of this issue. Firstly, there is the philosophical justification, quite often centring on utilitarianism. Secondly, there is the practical side, that is, whether animal experimentation is justified by its necessity to science as well as the usefulness of the results obtained through it. For this reason, I have decided to take a step back and remove the word ‘ethically’ from my question.Are the views of animal experimentation presented by activists justified?‘Justifiable’ sounds like it may be a better word to use than ‘justified’, as it implies something more current.Are the views of animal experimentation presented by activists justifiable?This question could be worded in a clearer way.Are the views that activists present of animal experimentation justifiable? ................
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