Smallpox and Ethical Dilemmas in Research

Overview of Smallpox

• Smallpox is one of the deadliest diseases in history.
• It has been eradicated for over 40 years.
• Samples of the smallpox virus still exist, raising concerns about potential weaponization by rogue actors.

Concerns with Current Treatments

• Older vaccines can have serious side effects.
• Modern antiviral drugs have not been tested against smallpox.
• The U.S. government is funding research to improve smallpox treatments and vaccines.

Ethical Considerations in Research

• Use of Animal Subjects:

  • Labs use humanity's closest biological relatives (monkeys) for research.
  • Ethical question: Is it right to harm these animals to protect humanity?

• Historical Context of Animal Testing:

  • Animals have been used for human welfare improvement for centuries, often at the cost of their lives.
  • This reflects the belief that human lives are more valuable than non-human lives.

Philosophical Questions Raised

• How do we determine the value of a life (human vs. non-human)?
• Moral Status:
  • Beings with moral status have their needs and interests considered in decision-making.
  • Traditionally seen as binary: either a being has moral status or does not.

Theories on Moral Status

• Immanuel Kant:

  • Humans have moral status due to rational nature and ability to will actions.
  • Non-human animals considered as "things" without moral status.

• Contemporary Views:

  • Thinkers like Christine Korsgaard argue for including non-human animals based on their ability to value their good.
  • Utilitarianism:
    • Jeremy Bentham and Peter Singer argue that the capacity for suffering warrants moral consideration.

Moral Status of Monkeys

• Monkeys have high social and intellectual capacities:

  • Cooperative living in complex social groups.
  • Recognize individuals in their community.
  • Capable of suffering.

• Common belief: Human life is prioritized over monkey life.

  • Killing one human to save five others is wrong.
  • Killing one monkey to save five humans is often viewed as morally acceptable.

Ethical Calculation Challenges

• The balance of moral status becomes unstable:
  • Questions arise about how many monkeys can be sacrificed for the sake of saving humans.
  • If moral status is binary, theoretically, any number of monkeys could be sacrificed for one human.
  • If moral status comes in degrees, at what point does the balance tip?

Uncertainty in Research Outcomes

• No guarantee that research will save human lives.
• Ethical dilemma in weighing risks and benefits of animal testing.
• Uncertainty complicates moral decision-making.

Conclusion

• Choices in ethical dilemmas should be well justified.
• Consideration of both human and non-human lives is crucial in making ethical research decisions.
• Ethical dilemma presented with a spouse accused of murder: belief in spouse vs. evidence.