Brute facts and normative implications

Understanding human-animal interactions

Interdisciplinary satellite symposium of the ISAZ 2014 at the Messerli Research Institute

The Messerli Research Institute (MRI) investigates principles and foundations of the interaction between humans and animals. The work is carried out within the fields of comparative cognition and behavior, comparative medicine and ethics. Key findings serve as a basis on which human-animal interactions can be examined in a practically oriented manner. Furthering our knowledge of the degree to which cognitive, emotional and moral capabilities in animals are analogous to those capacities in humans is the aim of the comparative cognition unit. The focus of the ethics and human-animal studies group is to scrutinize the moral relevance of scientific findings, to develop convincing criteria and methods in animal ethics and to clarify the implications of this research for human-animal interactions. Comparative medical research aims at the promotion of human and animal health in various medical fields, such as cancer research, allergology and nutritional sciences.

Further information: www.vetmeduni.ac.at/messerli

Against this background, the satellite symposium aims at an interdisciplinary discussion of issues in human-animal interactions, including the following topics:

Cognition and ethics
Ethology and ethics
Ethics in animal experimentation
Cost-benefit analysis in medical research
Moral agency in animals
Philosophy of mind and ethics
Veterinary ethics

Format: 2 keynote lectures, up to 7 talks (à 20 min), 2 panel discussions, posters & wine
Start: 9am

Keynote speakers:

Prof. Mark Rowlands (University of Miami)

We invite pre- and postdoctoral researchers to submit a proposal for an oral or poster presentation via the main ISAZ submission and registration system. Please note that interdisciplinary contributions will be preferred in the evaluation procedure.

Organizers: Herwig Grimm, Erika Jensen-Jarolim, Ludwig Huber
Contact: Julia.Schoellauf@vetmeduni.ac.at; Franziska.Luckabauer@vetmeduni.ac.at