Anti-vivisection and the profession of medicine in Britain : A social history
- Author
- A.W.H. Bates
- Publication Year
- 2017
- Publisher
- Springer
- Language
- English
- Document Type
- Book
- Faculty / Subject Heading
- Social Science
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This book explores the social history of the anti-vivisection movement in Britain from its nineteenth-century beginnings until the 1960s. It discusses the ethical principles that inspired the movement and the socio-political background that explains its rise and fall. Opposition to vivisection began when medical practitioners complained it was contrary to the compassionate ethos of their profession. Christian anti-cruelty organizations took up the cause out of concern that callousness among the professional classes would have a demoralizing effect on the rest of society. As the nineteenth century drew to a close, the influence of transcendentalism, Eastern religions and the spiritual revival led new age social reformers to champion a more holistic approach to science, and dismiss reliance on vivisection as a materialistic oversimplification.
Keywords: Religion and Philosophy / Animal ethics / Social history / Anti-cruelty / Animal experimentation/ Medical science / Moral integrity / Professional morality / Utilitarianism / Theological distinction / Smear campaign / Reputation / Ethics / Moral Philosophy / History of Britain and Ireland / Animal Welfare/ Animal Ethics / Theory of Medicine/Bioethics / Sociology, general
