Can I be a vegetarian and a scientist?

Question

I'm a vegetarian but I'm also a biochemist in training. A large part of my work is to do with genetic engineering and pharmaceutical research.

To test a lot of things, it's necessary to use animal models.

While furthering medical advances seems like a more worthy cause for animal suffering than a hamburger, I'm wondering how other vegetarians working in science cope with the necessary fact of animal research?

Answer 1

Just because you do testing on animals doesn't mean you have to eat them...

Until we develop computers powerful enough to simulate an animal metabolism, testing on animals is the only viable solution for genetic and pharmaceutical research. Coping with this fact is your responsibility. Would you become a surgeon if you were afraid of blood?

Answer 2

If you're feeling particularly compassionate, you could volunteer yourself as a test subject.

Otherwise, you may need to tough it out and shred some rabbit skin, tear out some monkey eyeballs, and torture the heck out of those mice.

I'm kidding, of course. Research should always be done in the most humane way possible. Still, if you want to make a pharmaceutical omelet, you have to break a few squishy mice.

Answer 3

You asked your question the wrong way around. Can a scientist be a vegetarian. The answer is, "Of course!" You don't have to eat what you study. Your real question is, why are you a vegetarian? Could it be that you truly do not believe in killing animals to get results?

Answer 4

What will you do when meats are prepared in cell culture? Make this happen and your question is moot.

Answer 5

You are entirely welcome to do things in your professional capacity that in your personal capacity you loathe. It is called "hypocrisy." It is the mother's milk of enforced morality.

Don't just sit there, rationalize. There ya go!

Answer 6

decisions, decisions, decisions are a real bummer at times. do what your heart, mind and soul say is right.