Abstract
Why can we use animals for scientific experiments? Why can kill innocent animals to improve our life? Are human beings 'more equal' than the other animals? Those are very serious questions. The case for / against animal researches has many implications, which invite us to philosophical and ethical thinking. This paper examine these items. (1) Utilitarian and Kantian view on the moral status of animals. (2) Environmental ethics and bioethics on animal researches. (3) Reconsidering our system of rights and duties concerning animals. It is clear that the concept of 'person' plays an important role in the case for / against animal right. We must try to specify the reason why animals are not persons. One sort of 'speciesism' is proposed. This paper concludes as follows: to solve the difficult problems about experimented research animals, we must face the question of the ontology of life. Applied ethics always lead to metaphysics.
