Think tank aims to spark animal ethics debate

The new animal ethics centre in Oxford, launching online, aims to "put animals on the intellectual agenda."

It hopes to foster informed debate on issues such as animal testing that go "beyond slogans and stereotypes."

The centre's director is Revd Professor Andrew Linzey, an Anglican priest, writer and Oxford University theologian.

He is known for his opposition to animal testing. His new project is expected to bring a more reasoned approach to the animal rights debate, including the controversial building of Oxford University's animal testing facility.

The centre opposes violence and illegal acts and distances itself from militant animal rights activists who advocate campaigns of violence and intimidation.

One of the first issues of the debate on the new centre's agenda is "the relationship between animal abuse and violence to human beings."

More than 100 academics from 10 countries have been recruited as advisers to Prof Linzey's independent think tank, which can be found at www.oxfordanimalethics.com.

Its full title is the Ferrater Mora Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics, named after the Spanish philosopher Jose Ferrater Mora, who spoke out against bull fighting in Spain.

Projects already under way include the introduction of a course in animal ethics and publication of a Journal of Animal Ethics.

"We must strive to ensure animal issues are highlighted and rationally discussed throughout society - we cannot change the world for animals without changing our ideas about them," Prof Linzey said.

"The centre will promote ethical attitudes and contribute to informed public debate."

Professor Priscilla Cohn, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at Penn State University and associate director of the centre, added: "It seems to us that academics should take the lead in helping to foster a new kind of debate about animals - one that goes beyond slogans and stereotypes."

Pro-Test, the Oxford-based group which backs animal testing, welcomed Prof Linzey's new ethics centre.

"We understand that there are disagreements surrounding the area of animal rights but we believe they should be solved through debate and discussion rather than through violence and intimidation," said a spokesman for Pro-Test, founded by Swindon teenager Laurie Pyecroft.

"Further debate on whether animal research is justified is always going to be a good thing."