Around the world, millions of cats, dogs, pigs and other mammals, including thousands and thousands of humans are dissected in anatomy classes. They are dissected in order to teach students—including all of those who will eventually operate on your body—about how an average mammal, amphibian or other body works. One can discuss the merits of having students perform dissections. One can also discuss the morality of such dissections. I want to get at something else, the issue of whether these students are doing exactly the same sort of science that was being done at the end of the dark ages.
In an average anatomy class dead animals are handed out to students. Students perform various forms of butchery. In focusing on these parts of the body, the students are told about how it works, or at least how it works in general. More body parts are dissected. More knowledge is provided. The bodies are then thrown away in special trashcans.
The whole process repeats with a new group the next morning. What I do mean to make fun of is that we seem to now teach anatomy in exactly the same way that it was being taught at the end of the dark ages.
Specifically, students look at bodies of animals, but are not encouraged in any way to make real observations. Even where the differences among bodies are noted, they are seldom measured.
Even when measurements are taken, they are seldom recorded. Now, you might say, Rob, you are confusing things. At the end of the dark ages we were ignorant about the body. Simple measurements could produce new knowledge. Now we understand the body. First, attaining goals of general scientific education does not require dissection.
The training of specialists, in whose vocations dissection skills are essential, could then be accomplished without killing animals specifically for the purpose of acquiring those skills.
Second, killing and dissecting animals for unnecessary exercises teaches students bad attitudes toward animal life. Third, moral principles cannot justify killing and dissecting animals but not humans; consequently, such treatment of animals is prejudiced exploitation of the weak by the strong. This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution. Rent this article via DeepDyve. Keiser, Terry D. The Science Teacher , January, p. Luckily for students at the K level, they are legally allowed to refuse animal dissection.
There are also laws in 11 states concerning student choice, as well as several other states with informal choice policies. A map indicating the policies of each state is available online via AnimaLearn. These laws mean that schools must let students or parents know about dissections and allow the student to choose an alternative without being punished.
There is also a wide variety of humane alternatives available, so no animal ever needs to be killed for dissection again. This is basically a lending library of all sorts of dissection alternatives, including CD programs, models, and mannequins. Their full catalog can be searched online, and the items in it are loaned for free. There are many ways to bring attention to the cruelties and dangers of dissection. Some countries, such as Argentina, Slovakia, India, and Israel have even banned it or severely restricted its use.
One of the main ways to fight dissection is to ensure your state or university has a student choice policy. If one does not already exists, especially at the university level where refusing dissection can be harder and have more negative consequences, get out there and make it happen!
This includes connecting with professors or administrators about your concerns to work on formulating a student policy, finding like-minded students, writing a petition if necessary, and providing more information about alternatives. Sample policies can be found at AnimaLearn to provide guidance in this process. Of course, education about alternatives at all levels is critical to stopping this practice, so get creative.
But they may not benefit everyone. Newsletter Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news. Sign Up. The SynFrog is a lifelike alternative to real frogs for classroom dissections. Credit: PETA. The synthetic frog can be cut open and features simulated organs inside. Already a subscriber? Want more? More From Discover. Recommendations From Our Store.
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