The Dissection Paradigm

In those places around the world where precollege animal dissection remains common, it is possible to identify several pervasive preconceptions that tend to bias people in favor of acceptance of this practice and against simulated alternatives. We can refer to this pattern of thinking as “the dissection paradigm.” After a review of the contemporary situation, this chapter outlines several of the dissection paradigm’s core features. These include the idea that animal dissection is “real,” and alternatives are merely “virtual,” and that dissection represents an educational ideal that alternatives must mainly strive to copy. These include as well dissection’s status as a “hands-on” science-like “experiment.” While initially intuitive, these preconceptions can also be shown to be complex, contingent, and fraught.