1. 1 Welcome To Rural Sociology 2225 “Science, Technology and Society” Mary Grigsby Associate Professor of Rural Sociology Division of Applied Social Sciences

2. 2 RS 2225 Class 7 Genetically Engineered Food: Are We at Risk? Focused-viewing Group the points made Class Business

3. Four Considerations Pertinent to Ethical Decision Making The Facts of the Matter Affected Patients and Their Interests Key Concepts, Criteria and Principles Ethical Theories and Arguments 3

4. 4 Ethics and Implications of Agricultural Genetics Choice Evolution Resistance to Change Apply Alcorn’s approach to thinking about ethics and technology to the case of agricultural genetics. Is choice an ethical issue in the case of agricultural genetics? Examples?

5. 5 Four Considerations Pertinent to Ethical Decision Making (McGinn) The Facts of the Matter Experts saying it is safe Experts saying it is not safe Affected Patients and Their Interests Interests of developers Interests of consumers Interests of farmers Interests of the poor Key Concepts, Criteria, and Principles Safety Feeding the hungry Food policy Vs. Ability to Produce Food What is going to produce sustainability Dependency/Self-sufficiency Ethical Theories and Arguments Consequentialist (Utilitarian) “Deontological” (inherent right or wrong) Neo-Consequentialist

6. 6 Ethics and Technology-Alcorn Choice Humans choose what technology to develop and how to use it. Expand on this—do all humans have equal input into the technology that is developed? How? Or how not? Is some of the criticism of GMO connected to concerns about input into decision making (choice)? Some want labeling of GMO, others don’t. Why? Some believe GMO are safe, others are concerned about narrowed choices—Examples? Drift of pollen destroying organic.

7. Alcorn Evolution Humans produce change through the creation of technology rather than mutation. We can very quickly generalize a new “trait” over the entire population. What are the dangers that result from this capability? Are the differing viewpoints regarding GM a struggle that is some way relates to this issue? 7

8. Alcorn Resistance to Change Homeostasis (resistance to changes-a fear of the unknown.) This is as much a survival mechanism as the capacity to create technology in the first place. That the resistance is an example of a survival mechanism aimed at not adopting technology too quickly because it may end up being dangerous. It slows down the process. What purpose might the resistance to the adoption to agricultural genetics have based on Alcorn’s analysis? 8