Davis Mirza | University of Toronto (original) (raw)

Papers by Davis Mirza

If sentience is defined as the capacity of living beings to experience sense, cognition and feeli... more If sentience is defined as the capacity of living beings to experience sense, cognition and feelings, then the concept of sentient empathy can be described as the direct identification with, understanding of, and affection to another animal's situation, feelings, and motives. As a pressing social issue, can an awareness of animal testing within universities elicit sentient empathy among a wider public? This thesis explores this question by analysing the findings from interviews with three 'open rescue' activists. It then examines the possibilities of utilizing Research-informed Theatre (RIT) for sharing the interview findings, with a view toward eliciting sentient empathy among the public.

If sentience is defined as the capacity of living beings to experience sense, cognition and feeli... more If sentience is defined as the capacity of living beings to experience sense, cognition and feelings, then the concept of sentient empathy can be described as the direct identification with, understanding of, and affection to another animal's situation, feelings, and motives. As a pressing social issue, can an awareness of animal testing within universities elicit sentient empathy among a wider public? This thesis explores this question by analysing the findings from interviews with three 'open rescue' activists. It then examines the possibilities of utilizing Research-informed Theatre (RIT) for sharing the interview findings, with a view toward eliciting sentient empathy among the public.

If sentience is defined as the capacity of living beings to experience sense, cognition and feeli... more If sentience is defined as the capacity of living beings to experience sense, cognition and feelings, then the concept of sentient empathy can be described as the direct identification with, understanding of, and affection to another animal's situation, feelings, and motives. As a pressing social issue, can an awareness of animal testing within universities elicit sentient empathy among a wider public? This thesis explores this question by analysing the findings from interviews with three ‘open rescue’ activists. It then examines the possibilities of utilizing Research-informed Theatre (RIT) for sharing the interview findings, with a view toward eliciting sentient empathy among the public.

PURPOSE: Can an awareness of animal testing elicit sentient empathy among a wider public? I prese... more PURPOSE: Can an awareness of animal testing elicit sentient empathy among a wider public? I present a contextual argument against vivisection, detailing the amount of animal suffering that takes place within universities and how that lack of awareness nullifies sentient empathy among students and faculty.

PERSPECTIVE: Killing ‘research’ animals is the norm, not the exception, within scientific laboratories. The extreme nature of animal testing promotes a general indifference to animal suffering which dominates community attitudes (O’Sullivan, 2011). Animal ethicists believe that animals, as conscious beings, deserve the same rights protections and liberties as human beings (Regan, 1983; Singer, 2008). While protesting against vivisection at the University of Toronto, I pondered another way to effectively inform the public, since new research refrains from harming animals (Balls, 2000, 2001: Lim, 2000; Indian Ministry of Environment and Forests, 2011).

METHODS & DATA SOURCE: In 2013-14, I interviewed three people who non-violently rescued animals from university labs (‘open rescue’), employing language, behaviour, beliefs, and values that elicited sentient empathy. Applying Research Informed Theatre (RIT) as a qualitative, arts-based research methodology, I converted my interview findings into dramatic scripts to instill a public dialogue about animal testing.

RESULTS & INTERPRETATION: Denying animal empathy is counter-intuitive to the mounting scientific evidence that animals display emotions (Bekoff, 2010). Creating dramatic scripts highlights the animal ‘turn’ in research: where shared-life interconnectivity among species allows for Critical Animal Studies. I present three 'open rescue' scripts for the reader to enlist empathetic responses and engage in academic feedback.

If sentience is defined as the capacity of living beings to experience sense, cognition and feeli... more If sentience is defined as the capacity of living beings to experience sense, cognition and feelings, then the concept of sentient empathy can be described as the direct identification with, understanding of, and affection to another animal's situation, feelings, and motives. As a pressing social issue, can an awareness of animal testing within universities elicit sentient empathy among a wider public? This thesis explores this question by analysing the findings from interviews with three 'open rescue' activists. It then examines the possibilities of utilizing Research-informed Theatre (RIT) for sharing the interview findings, with a view toward eliciting sentient empathy among the public.

If sentience is defined as the capacity of living beings to experience sense, cognition and feeli... more If sentience is defined as the capacity of living beings to experience sense, cognition and feelings, then the concept of sentient empathy can be described as the direct identification with, understanding of, and affection to another animal's situation, feelings, and motives. As a pressing social issue, can an awareness of animal testing within universities elicit sentient empathy among a wider public? This thesis explores this question by analysing the findings from interviews with three 'open rescue' activists. It then examines the possibilities of utilizing Research-informed Theatre (RIT) for sharing the interview findings, with a view toward eliciting sentient empathy among the public.

If sentience is defined as the capacity of living beings to experience sense, cognition and feeli... more If sentience is defined as the capacity of living beings to experience sense, cognition and feelings, then the concept of sentient empathy can be described as the direct identification with, understanding of, and affection to another animal's situation, feelings, and motives. As a pressing social issue, can an awareness of animal testing within universities elicit sentient empathy among a wider public? This thesis explores this question by analysing the findings from interviews with three ‘open rescue’ activists. It then examines the possibilities of utilizing Research-informed Theatre (RIT) for sharing the interview findings, with a view toward eliciting sentient empathy among the public.

PURPOSE: Can an awareness of animal testing elicit sentient empathy among a wider public? I prese... more PURPOSE: Can an awareness of animal testing elicit sentient empathy among a wider public? I present a contextual argument against vivisection, detailing the amount of animal suffering that takes place within universities and how that lack of awareness nullifies sentient empathy among students and faculty.

PERSPECTIVE: Killing ‘research’ animals is the norm, not the exception, within scientific laboratories. The extreme nature of animal testing promotes a general indifference to animal suffering which dominates community attitudes (O’Sullivan, 2011). Animal ethicists believe that animals, as conscious beings, deserve the same rights protections and liberties as human beings (Regan, 1983; Singer, 2008). While protesting against vivisection at the University of Toronto, I pondered another way to effectively inform the public, since new research refrains from harming animals (Balls, 2000, 2001: Lim, 2000; Indian Ministry of Environment and Forests, 2011).

METHODS & DATA SOURCE: In 2013-14, I interviewed three people who non-violently rescued animals from university labs (‘open rescue’), employing language, behaviour, beliefs, and values that elicited sentient empathy. Applying Research Informed Theatre (RIT) as a qualitative, arts-based research methodology, I converted my interview findings into dramatic scripts to instill a public dialogue about animal testing.

RESULTS & INTERPRETATION: Denying animal empathy is counter-intuitive to the mounting scientific evidence that animals display emotions (Bekoff, 2010). Creating dramatic scripts highlights the animal ‘turn’ in research: where shared-life interconnectivity among species allows for Critical Animal Studies. I present three 'open rescue' scripts for the reader to enlist empathetic responses and engage in academic feedback.