PLEASURABLE KINGDOM, by Jonathan Balcombe

PLEASURABLE KINGDOM is my new favorite book. Dr. Balcombe presents experimental and anecdotal evidence of how the nonhuman animal world experiences pleasure.

The Gray Matter, which I have to mention because that’s what I do, is, well, let’s use the authors words:
"Some of the scientific experiments I have drawn from in this book to support my case for animal pleasure have involved procedures harmful or otherwise inhumane to the animal subjects used" (p. 221).

That’s obvious from the beginning, as the first chapter is full of examples. And his premise isn’t to necessarily stop studying animal behavior, but to do it in a different way, with a focus on the best interests of the creatures being studied. To not use the results would be like saying: "I’m not going to give my Greyhound, Violet Rays, her insulin because at some point it was tested on (and in fact came from) animals." Let’s just try to move forward in a more conscious way.

As for language, Balcombe’s discussions of pleasure, pain and funktionslust (German for: the pleasure and satisfaction one derives from doing something one is good at) are must-reads and lead you directly to the conclusion that we are so similar to nonhuman animals that the justification for causing them suffering becomes less and less legitimate (assuming it ever was).

Note that Dr. Balcombe is also the author of THE USE OF ANIMALS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: PROBLEMS, ALTERNATIVES, AND RECOMMENDATIONS (2000), which can be downloaded at his website, and the printed version can be ordered here. It dovetails nicely with this post, which began to discuss the basics of animal experimentation.