Conference examines ethics of synthetic biology: Is it morally right to engineer life ? What are the risks, benefits ?
https://archives.anglican.ca/link/article41631
- Author
- Kidd, Joelle
- Material Type
- Journal Article
- Journal
- Anglican Journal
- Date
- 2018 February
- Author
- Kidd, Joelle
- Material Type
- Journal Article
- Journal
- Anglican Journal
- Date
- 2018 February
- Volume
- 144
- Issue
- 2
- Page
- 6, 10
- Notes
- "A conference hosted by the Canadian Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches that ran from November 2-4 [2017] in Toronto, Ont., aimed to address new technologies and examine the ethics of the field of 'synthetic biology'" (p. 6). Drew Endy, a bioengineering professor "Researchers like [bioengineering professor Drew] Endy have been exploring ways to manipulate the genes of living organisms in a laboratory setting, raising the possibility that any product that can be naturally derived from a plant can now be created artificially, which could have an enormous effect on the food industry, agriculture and medicine. Conversely, [technology critic Jim] Thomas, a former Greenpeace activist, expressed a greater concern for the effects of this genetic manipulation. 'Is life something here for humans to engineers ? Is that a morally OK thing to do ?'" (p. 6). "National Indigenous Anglican Bishop Mark MacDonald, who participated on a conference panel concerning the ethics and faith response to synthetic biology, voiced support of regulation, but cautioned that 'regulation, in itself', is not enough'. .... These technologies, he said, raise questions about 'our spiritual formation in the dominant culture -- the culture of money'" (p. 6). Nnimmo Bassey, director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation in Nigeria, said: "I believe that this technology will open the door to a very vicious form of colonialism" (p. 10). Panelist Lucy Sharratt, co-ordinator of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network, noted that: "Injustice is the real reason people don't have food" (p. 10).
- Subjects
- Biotechnology - Moral and ethical aspects
- Biotechnology - Congresses
- World Council of Churches
- Canadian Council of Churches
- Biotechnology - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada
- Food - Biotechnology
- Food supply - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada
- Endy, Drew (Andrew David), 1970-
- Thomas, Jim
- MacDonald, Mark L. (Mark Lawrence), 1954-
- Bassey, Nnimmo, 1958-
- Sharratt, Lucy