Many conflicting values and norms in our society related to the use of animals lead to increasing disagreements about what constitutes a “good life” for the animals in our care. Broadly speaking, applied ethicists have discussed two different approaches to this topic—one focuses on the consequences of using animals in particular ways, and the other on the morality of that use, regardless of the consequences.

PART 1 OF A 9-PART SERIES, “ANIMAL AGRICULTURE’S FUTURE THROUGH BIOTECHNOLOGY.”Written by a task force of nine scientists, this issue paper summarizes existing and emerging technologies and assesses their current and potential impacts. The authors suggest that research on biotechnology in animal production is leading to breakthroughs on many fronts.