Ethics of Weisel's research
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What are your thoughts in regards to the ethics of Weisel's research? Do his findings justify the relative deprivation of the animal's senses? Would such an experiment be supported by today's research institutes? Why or why not?
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The ethics of Weisel's research are determined.
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Torsten Wiesel's research required him to use baby monkey's and kittens and deprive them of sensory stimulation. This left the animals blind, or partially blind. This raises questions of animal abuse.
The American Psychological Association's guidelines on animal testing state that there is to be no procedure that causes "adverse stimulation" or "signs of distress" in a non-human animal (APA, 2010). Since presumably no pain was caused the animal, this research might be justified. But it is also clear that deliberate blindness or partial blindness is a grey area. The cats were anesthetized and given a muscle relaxer. Hence, it is doubtful if they felt any pain.
The conclusion of his research is to say that the development of our visual field is ...
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