How do we determine the value of a life? | Rebecca L. Walker
TED Health
TED
4.2 • 1.5K Ratings
🗓️ 17 September 2024
⏱️ 8 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
To protect against a possible resurgence of smallpox, the US government is funding research to improve treatments and vaccines. And since it's unethical to expose people to a highly lethal virus, labs are using monkeys as research subjects. But is it right to harm these animals to protect humanity from a potential threat? Rebecca L. Walker takes a look at this classic ethical dilemma. This TED-Ed lesson was directed by Sharon Colman, narrated by Alexandra Panzer and the music is by Miguel d'Oliveira.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Ted Audio Collective |
| 0:02.0 | Collective |
| 0:07.0 | This is Ted Health, a podcast from the TED Audio Collective. |
| 0:11.0 | This is Ted Health, a podcast from the Ted Audio Collective. |
| 0:14.0 | I'm your host Dr. Shoshana Unger. |
| 0:17.0 | Imagine being a scientist faced with a terrifying dilemma. |
| 0:21.0 | Protect humanity from a potential outbreak of a lethal virus or |
| 0:26.2 | safeguard the lives of our closest animal relatives used in the research to find a cure. |
| 0:32.4 | That's a very real issue some scientists are facing as they |
| 0:35.8 | strive to keep historically deadly diseases like smallpox at bay. When it comes to animal |
| 0:41.8 | testing in the lab, the stakes are high and the ethical questions are |
| 0:46.2 | daunting. How do we weigh the value of one life or one species against another. |
| 0:53.4 | In this TED Ed lesson by Rebecca Walker, we dive into the murky waters of moral status |
| 0:58.8 | and animal testing. |
| 1:01.0 | This lesson challenges us to rethink our responsibilities in a world where the lines between right and wrong aren't always clear. |
| 1:10.0 | But before we dive in, a quick break to hear from our sponsors. |
| 1:14.0 | And now Rebecca Walker for Ted Ed. |
| 1:20.0 | Smallpox is one of the deadliest diseases in history. |
| 1:25.0 | But fortunately, it's been eradicated for over 40 years. |
| 1:29.0 | However, samples of the virus that causes smallpox still exist, leading to concern that rogue |
| 1:36.0 | actors might try to weaponize it. This is especially worrying because older smallpox vaccines |
| 1:42.2 | can have serious side effects and modern antiviral drugs have never been tested against this disease. |
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