Systems biology promises to replace many animal experiments with computer simulations. They are becoming larger, more accurate and simulate more and more of the animals. The logical endpoint would be an emulation: a perfect copy of the animal in the computer, the ideal lab animal. But should we treat virtual animals any different from real animals? If an experiment is too painful to do on a biological animal, maybe it is too painful to do on a software emulation too? Or is it just numbers in a computer? We cannot know, and this suggests that we should rather be safe than sorry. We need virtual lab animal ethics, and be careful in not unnecessarily harming software that may actually be conscious.

Anders Sandberg has a background in computer science, neuroscience and medical engineering. He obtained his Ph.D. in computational neuroscience from Stockholm University, Sweden, for work on neural network modelling of human memory. In Oxford Ander’s research at the Future of Humanity Institute centres on management of low-probability high-impact risks, societal and ethical issues surrounding human enhancement, estimating the capabilities of future technologies, and very long-range futures. He is research associate to the Oxford Martin Programme on the Impacts of Future Technology, the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, the Oxford Centre for Neuroethics and the Institute of Future Studies (Stockholm). He is on the advisory boards of a number of organisations and often debates science and ethics in international media.

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