Public Perceptions of the Ethics of In-vitro Meat: Determining an Appropriate Course of Action

• Published in: Journal of agricultural & environmental ethics Vol. 28; no. 5; pp. 991 - 1009
• Main Author: Laestadius, Linnea I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.10.2015; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acceptability; Agricultural biotechnology; Agricultural Economics; Animal welfare; Animals; Art exhibits; attitudes and opinions; Biotechnology; Cultured meat; Diets; Education; Ethics; Evolutionary Biology; food animals; hamburgers; In vitro fertilization; Meat; meat consumption; News; Perception; Perceptions; Philosophy; Plant Sciences; Promotion; Public health; Public opinion; R&D; Research & development; Studies; Theory of Medicine/Bioethics; United States; Veganism; Vegetarianism; United States; Bioethics; Biotechnology; In vitro meat; Public opinion; Cultured meat
• ISSN: 1187-7863; 1573-322X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10806-015-9573-8

While in vitro animal meat (IVM) is not yet commercially available, the public has already begun to form opinions of IVM as a result of news stories and events drawing attention to its development. As such, we can discern public perceptions of the ethics of IVM before its commercial release. This affords advocates of environmentally sustainable, healthy, and just diets with a unique opportunity to reflect on the social desirability of the development of IVM. This work draws upon an analysis of ethical perceptions of IVM in 814 US news blog comments related to the August 2013 tasting of the world’s first IVM hamburger. Specifically, I address three primary questions: (1) How does the public perceive the ethics of IVM development? (2) How acceptable is IVM to the public relative to alternative approaches to reducing animal meat consumption? and (3) What should all of this mean for the ongoing development and promotion of IVM? Ultimately, it is argued that there is a strong need for facilitation of public dialogue around IVM, as well as further research comparing the acceptability of IVM to other alternatives.