1. Ethics and Genetic Engineering

2. What Is Genetic Engineering? “Genetic Engineering” = Creating organisms with novel genetic sequences.“Genetic Engineering” = Creating organisms with novel genetic sequences. –Reiss and Straughan 1996

3. Pest Resistance: Bt Corn

4. Herbicide Tolerance “Roundup Ready”

5. Enhanced Nutrition Golden rice

6. Commercial Value Fast-growing salmon

7. Ethical Arguments About Biotechnology Intrinsic: Biotechnology is good/bad in itselfIntrinsic: Biotechnology is good/bad in itself Extrinsic: Biotechnology is good/bad because of:Extrinsic: Biotechnology is good/bad because of: –its consequences –the motivations behind: advocacy of biotech oradvocacy of biotech or opposition to biotechopposition to biotech

8. Intrinsic Arguments Against Biotechnology Premise: Genetic engineering is unnatural.Premise: Genetic engineering is unnatural. Conclusion: Therefore, genetic engineering is intrinsically wrong.Conclusion: Therefore, genetic engineering is intrinsically wrong. –Is this a good argument?

9. Intrinsic Arguments Against Biotechnology Genetic engineering requires that we take a reductionist view of life that sees only genes, not individuals, as important.Genetic engineering requires that we take a reductionist view of life that sees only genes, not individuals, as important. –“From the reductionist perspective, life is merely the aggregate representation of the chemicals that give rise to it and therefore they see no ethical problem whatsoever in transferring…even a hundred genes from one species into the heredity blueprint of another species.” Jeremy RifkinJeremy Rifkin

10. Extrinsic Arguments About Biotechnology Biotechnology is good/bad because of its consequences.Biotechnology is good/bad because of its consequences. Three ways to evaluate consequences:Three ways to evaluate consequences: Do no harm (avoid bad consequences).Do no harm (avoid bad consequences). Maximize good consequences and minimize bad ones for all affected.Maximize good consequences and minimize bad ones for all affected. Justice: Fair distribution of good and bad consequences among all affected.Justice: Fair distribution of good and bad consequences among all affected.

11. Extrinsic Arguments About Biotechnology Biotechnology is good/bad because of the motivations of its proponents/opponents.Biotechnology is good/bad because of the motivations of its proponents/opponents.

12. Extrinsic Arguments: Motivations Friends of the Earth: “Golden rice may never help poor farmers, but it could give the beleaguered European biotech industry a new grasp on life.”Friends of the Earth: “Golden rice may never help poor farmers, but it could give the beleaguered European biotech industry a new grasp on life.” Florence Wambugu: “These critics [of biotech], who have never experienced hunger and death on the scale we sadly witness in Africa, are content to keep Africans dependent on food aid from industrialized nations while mass starvation occurs.”Florence Wambugu: “These critics [of biotech], who have never experienced hunger and death on the scale we sadly witness in Africa, are content to keep Africans dependent on food aid from industrialized nations while mass starvation occurs.”

13. Extrinsic Arguments About Biotechnology Environmental consequencesEnvironmental consequences Human health consequencesHuman health consequences Who benefits?Who benefits? Who decides?Who decides?

14. The Precautionary Principle “When an activity raises threats of harm to the environment or human health, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically.” Wingspread Statement on the Precautionary Principle, Jan. 1998Wingspread Statement on the Precautionary Principle, Jan. 1998 “Lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation.” Rio Declaration 1992Rio Declaration 1992

15. Image Credits Bt Corn: United States General Accounting Office. Genetically Modified Foods: Experts view regimen of safety tests as adequate, but FDA’s evaluation process could be enhanced. May 2002.Bt Corn: United States General Accounting Office. Genetically Modified Foods: Experts view regimen of safety tests as adequate, but FDA’s evaluation process could be enhanced. May 2002.

16. Citations Reiss and Straughan (1996), Improving Nature? (Cambridge University Press).Reiss and Straughan (1996), Improving Nature? (Cambridge University Press). Precautionary Principle: The Science and Environmental Health Network, http://www.sehn.org/precaution.html.Precautionary Principle: The Science and Environmental Health Network, http://www.sehn.org/precaution.html.