每次身體不適而藥到病除時，我都感到amazed。到底這些藥是怎樣研究出來的呢？一定是在無數動物身上試驗過才推出來。想到這裏amazement便變成沮喪；我間接導致了immense suffering in other sentient beings。
今天衛報說European Commission提議禁止使用great apes如gorillas, orangutans and chimpanzees作實驗。這自然引來很多爭議。一方的論點基本上是這會"jeopardise rapid reactive work to a serious health challenge”，另一方則是"infliction of suffering on beings who are capable of feeling is ethically problematic”。要實驗物質X能否抗癌先得製造癌，要瞭解腦子不同部位的復原能力也先得破壞腦子。不能在人身上製造這些environment，科學家就在動物身上製造。一方面我覺得很殘忍，一方面我又不想生病時"無藥可救"。
Jane Goodall 說"the amazing human brain should set to work to find new ways of testing and experimenting that will not involve the use of live, sentient beings". 我的腦袋不夠"amazing"，想不到辦法，可是我很同意我們必須look for an alternative。如果我們固執地相信“不是你死就是我亡”，我們永遠都不會找到the 3rd option.
Note: Around 12 million animals are used in research in Europe each year, including work involving non-human primates.
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