Denis Diderot: The Ethicality Of Human Experimentation

Denis Diderot once said, “There are three principal means of acquiring knowledge... observation of nature, reflection, and experimentation. Observation collects facts; reflection combines them; experimentation verifies the result of that combination.” What Denis Diderot talks about is logical when trying to obtain information on a certain subject, and this applies to experiments performed on humans. When individuals think of human experimentation, unethical and immoral are sometimes the first words the pop into their brain. Human experimentation is beneficial in the sense that it can it can provide factual information, advancements in the medical field, and how human experimentation will be beneficial in the future. To begin with, human

During World War II, Jews were used as test subjects in order for Nazi doctors and scientists to see the human body’s reaction. In fact, “To test the human body’s resistance to cold, he would immerse prisoners (at least 300 of them0 in ice baths or force them to stay outside naked” (Jonathan Steinberg). Doctors were trying to observe the ways that the human bodies could react when pushed to the test, and though this seemed unethical, the advancements help individuals who lived in these hard climates. When the human body is pushed to the limit, it will take means necessary in order to survive. Doctors who performed these tests stated “…changes in core body temperature to inform rescue teams about the chances of survival for those in capsized boat accidents” (Steinberg). Though individuals thought that these tests were being made to inflict pain of the Jews, they were more necessary to prove if survival was able to happen to those exposed to freezing temperatures. Though individuals may say that being exposed to freezing weather may be cruel, the testing has helped individuals deem what is best fit to survive. Though these people may have been hurt during the experiments, others were able to survive because doctors knew how to handle the situation. Another testing that the Germans did was that the “…Air Force, evaluated the physiological response to low pressure, to inform pilots

Though these tests may be considered unethical, it is close minded thinking. Tests have to be conducted on people to provide correct information to help individuals everywhere. Whether it be injecting a child with pus, exposing the human body to different conditions, or making vaccines to incurable diseases, it has aided individuals for a better future. These tests have provided pills, shots, and a better understanding of the human body. Human experimentation has widely impacted the lives of those who are living to this