Natural symmetry

摘要

Directional inference: scientific convention applies conclusions from animal studies to humans but not the reverse, contradicting current evidence. Mickey Mouse, archie the cockroach, Snoopy, and Barney the purple dinosaur — just a few examples of creatures with minds and feelings like those of humans that richly populate the media. But in scientific circles, attributing human traits to animals is derisively dismissed as 'anthropomorphism' Biomedical science only permits, and critically depends on,inference from animals to humans, in the form of 'animal models' So in the direction of human-animal comparisons, popular culture seems to run contrary to science.