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> Soviet physicians chose Laika to die, but they were not entirely heartless. This tone is really harsh, animals dying to push science forward is still common
by belval 4y ago
> Soviet physicians chose Laika to die, but they were not entirely heartless.
This tone is really harsh, animals dying to push science forward is still common today and acting like they were "heartless" for it is disingenuous.
Laika got to be remembered, which his already much more than can be said of most test subjects.
- missedthecue 4y agoI've got to agree with you here. Every day, animals around the world are given cancer, AIDs, heart attacks, and all manner of diseases in the name of advancing science. As many as 12 million animals are dissected or vivisected in US schools alone annually. Laika was an important stepping stone towards humans in space. It's sad a dog died, but some people are a bit melodramatic.
- pipeline_peak 4y agoDid the US sacrifice any animals before they sent a human to space?
- boulos 4y agoYes, mostly mice and primates. https://history.nasa.gov/animals.html https://history.nasa.gov/animals.html is a quick summary.
- HeyImAlex 4y agoAnd we kill 80 billion animals a year for food.
- uwagar 4y agothis is what is called an elephant in the lift.
- kcartlidge 4y agoI gain all the advantages of modern medicine etcetera that come from animal research. I'm not blind to that fact. I'm also aware that my empathy levels vary according to the animal in question, which is awful (but true for many/most/all people). And yet, given the power to make such a decision I'd ban all animal experimentation without question (and I'd include Laika's situation in that). If it is so vital that an experiment be performed, then a willing human volunteer should be found. If no human is willing to undergo these tortures in the name of science and for the sake of humanity, then the experiment in question is apparently not that vital after all. In these situations, humans have the choice and humans have the benefit. We should leave other species out of it.
- psyfi 4y ago> but some people are a bit melodramatic. :D many people are absurdly melodramatic.*
- dontlaugh 4y agoMore than that, there was a lot work put into keeping the dogs alive and healthy. In fact, most did survive and lived on after their flight. After all, the goal was to have humans go into space and survive the trip back.
- AlwaysRock 4y agoIs it that harsh? The line ends with they were not entirely heartless.
- PhasmaFelis 4y ago> This tone is really harsh, animals dying to push science forward is still common today That doesn't really change anything. > Laika got to be remembered, which his already much more than can be said of most test subjects I doubt that was much comfort to her.
- psychphysic 4y agoShe's a dog. She wasn't capable of being comforted (or worried) by abstract concepts in the way humans can. She wouldn't understand what it means to live or die for something. Still being the first mammal in Earth orbit is wild. Man's best friend indeed!
- PhasmaFelis 4y ago> She's a dog. She wasn't capable of being comforted (or worried) by abstract concepts in the way humans can. That was my point, yes.
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]
- psyfi 4y agoExactly! I'm getting sick of seeing all that kind of double-standards BS all around the internet. Things are OK until someone we don't like does it